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4 states issue ‘stay at home’ orders, Colorado paying attention

Grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants offering take-out and other necessary businesses will remain open in the four states with orders.

DENVER, Colorado — Governor Jared Polis wouldn’t say if he’d issue a ‘stay at home’ order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But, he did say he’s watching other states to “determine what makes most sense here in Colorado."

RELATED: Denver mayor says shelter-in-place should be on regional rather than city level if it happens

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued the first statewide order mandating that non-essential workers stay home and that non-essential businesses close. New York, Illinois and Connecticut followed shortly after. That means roughly 75 million Americans are under orders to stay home.

RELATED: Coronavirus live updates: Illinois and New York join California in ordering residents to stay home

“We need to bend the curve,” said Newsom of the virus’ trajectory. "We are confident that the people in the state of California will abide by it.”

About 1,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in California.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made it clear that people won’t be “imprisoned in their homes,” but he and others said they expect people to stay inside when at all possible.

People are being allowed to exercise outside, though distance between others is being stressed. Grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants offering take-out and other necessary businesses will remain open in the four states with orders.

RELATED: What is a shelter-in-place order, and how does it compare to Colorado's current coronavirus measures?

California said individuals could receive misdemeanor penalties for failing to abide by the rule. New York may impose fines on non-essential businesses that fail to close.

Back in Colorado, Polis made no indication as to if or when Coloradoans may be asked to stay home. He and other Governors are weighing the increased impact this would have on local businesses while trying to prevent the COVID-19 spread.

“What spreads this virus is not economic activity per se,” said Polis. “It's large congregations of people. we're looking at where those vectors can be."

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