Gov. Charlie Baker is ordering all “non-essential” businesses to close their doors to workers and the public starting noon Tuesday and is issuing a stay-at-home advisory.

“Everyone is advised to stay home and limit all unnecessary activities,” Baker said. “These steps are, of course, difficult to take. These aggressive social distancing measures put in place today are designed to give public health experts the time they need to ramp up additional steps that must be taken to effectively push back the virus.”

Both orders will remain in effect until Tuesday, April 7 at noon, Baker told reporters Monday during a coronavirus response update at the State House. He is also limiting gatherings to 10 people, down from the 25 person limit he established previously.

The latest restrictions were followed by reports that four more people died from the virus Monday, bringing the death toll to 9 in Massachusetts. Out of the 8,922 residents that have been tested, 777 came back positive for COVID-19, according to the most recent data from the Department of Public Health.

Under Baker’s order, businesses and organizations that do not provide essential COVID-19 services must close their physical workplaces and facilities. Essential businesses are exempt, including grocery stores, liquor stores, pharmacies, medical facilities and gas stations. A list of identified essential businesses, based on guidance from the federal government, is available here.

“Everyone should know, we will always allow all grocery stores, pharmacies and other types of businesses that provide essential goods and services to Massachusetts residents to continue to operate,” Baker assured. “We will not stop anyone from accessing these essential businesses.”

Baker stopped short of ordering a broad, statewide stay at home order, but is directing the Department of Public Health to issue a stay-at-home advisory outlining isolation and social distancing protocols.

“There’s been a lot of talk about a government mandating people shelter in their homes. I do not believe I can or should order U.S. citizens to be confined to their homes for days on end,” Baker said. “We urge people to stay at home and avoid any unnecessary activities because this will help avoid any unneeded person-to-person interactions, which will spread the virus.”

The virus is “especially dangerous,” for people over 70 and those with underlying medical conditions, Baker said, and they should avoid as much personal contact as possible. Baker is encouraging folks to support the most vulnerable by grocery shopping or picking up prescriptions for them.

“I want to acknowledge the incredible impact this action could have on businesses and individuals,” Baker said. “Our goal is to slow the spread by limiting person-to-person contact and a concerted effort now will help us to get back to work and back to school.”

The state is not prohibiting travel, Baker noted, and the roads, bridges, tunnels will remain open and buses, trains and subways will continue to be maintained.

“But just because the T is open doesn’t mean we think it’s a good idea to take the train downtown to meet up with friends,” Baker said. “By limiting the use of public transportation to essential services and activities, we can not only slow the spread of the virus but better protect our health care workers, our grocery store workers and others who are working every day to keep us safe.”

Baker, sensing a loss of purpose amid these “aggressive” social distancing measures that “drastically limit personal contact,” said that staying at home is “profoundly purposeful.”

“As we all know, purpose is what drives us. Purpose is what fills our souls. Many feel lost and I can see why,” Baker said. “But here’s the truth — we all have a role, we all have purpose as we battle this disease. … Every single act of distance has purpose.”

“We must all embrace this new way of life and appreciate that here we can all find purpose as we battle this virus together,” Baker said.

Asked when the state might reassess that April 7 end date, Baker said, “We are constantly reconsidering virtually everything we do,” and having daily conversations with other states, local officials, health experts, folks in the provider community and academics about how to process this “unprecedented circumstance that we find ourselves in.”

Part of the reason behind setting end dates is to give people an answer on how long these measures are “absolutely, positively guaranteed to last,” Baker said, while giving the state the ability to extend the time frame if necessary.