"The time for further action is now," Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said Monday, as he issued a stay-at-home order until April 30.

"Stay home, stay healthy and stay connected," he added.

According to the executive order, the stay-at-home order, officially titled as a "Stay home, Stay healthy, Stay connected" policy, asks Arizonans to limit their time away from their home.

The order takes effect at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, for all activity that is not essential.

Gov. Ducey said people could still go outside.


"We do not want people to feel trapped or isolated in their homes,” he said. “The weather is beautiful right now. Find a way to get out and enjoy it — with physical distancing."

The executive order has listed a number of activities that are exempt from the order.

In another new executive order by Gov. Ducey, he said visitation will no longer be allowed at nursing homes until further notice.

He also announced new funding of more than $6 million to support food programs to children who are out of school, families and the elderly population.

Ducey outlined several other ways the state responded to the pandemic such as: a statewide school closure, obtained personal protection equipment (PPE), obtaining several million dollars to support families, small businesses and those who've lost their jobs.

"Across the state, Arizonans are doing their part," Ducey said. "Arizonans are staying home because it's the right thing to do."

Gov. Ducey's announcement on Monday came after a letter, jointly signed by a number of mayors of Arizona cities, urged Gov. Ducey to issue the order.

The letter was signed by Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, in addition to Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans, Fountain Hills Mayor Ginny Dickey, Guadalupe Mayor Valerie Molina, Superior Mayor Mila Besich, El Mirage Mayor Alexis Hermosillo, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, and Winslow Mayor Thomas L. McCauley,

"Arizona must not squander the opportunity to learn from the unfolding events in our sister states and immediately formalize a statewide Stay-At-Home order to ensure that we pursue every avenue to #flattenthecurve of this devastating pandemic," read a portion of the letter.

The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report.

Get the latest coronavirus news by downloading the FOX 10 News App. Our promise is that our alerts are there to inform you - not scare you.

On CoronavirusNOW.com, you'll find extensive coverage about COVID-19, including breaking news from around the country, exclusive interviews with health officials, and informative content from a variety of public health resources.

Additional Resources

LIVE: Interactive Coronavirus case data and map

FULL COVERAGE: fox10phoenix.com/coronavirus

Coronavirus (COVID-19) - How it spreads, symptoms, prevention, treatment, FAQ

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus

https://espanol.cdc.gov/enes/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html (In Spanish/En Español)

Arizona COVID-19 Response - Public resources, FAQ, webinars

https://www.azdhs.gov/coronavirus

https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/es/covid-19/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home (In Spanish/En Español)

In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends: