City of Columbia Stay Home Stay Safe Ordinance in effect

March 31, 2020

From Mayor Steve Benjamin:

The City of Columbia Stay Home Stay Safe Ordinance took effect Sunday and aims to slow the spread of COVID-19 and prevent our local healthcare systems from being overwhelmed.

We can play a significant part in saving lives if we work together. We know social distancing works to prevent the spread of this virus.

The new law directs all individuals (me too) to stay in our homes and not travel through or congregate in the streets, sidewalks, waterways and/or public spaces in the City of Columbia…except for the purposes of working at or conducting business deemed “Essential Services.”

Essential health care operations including:

  • Hospitals, walk-in-care health facilities, elder care facilities, nursing homes and residential care facilities
  • Doctors, emergency dental services, home health care workers and aides

Essential infrastructure operations including:

  • Utilities (including power generation, fuel supply and transmission)
  • Public water and wastewater
  • Hotels and other places of accommodation

Essential manufacturing operations including:

  • Architects
  • Chemicals and pharmaceuticals
  • Medical equipment/instruments
  • Commercial and residential construction

Essential retail operations including:

  • Grocery stores and all food and beverage stores
  • Pharmacies,  convenience stores, and gas stations
  • Restaurants/bars (but only for take-out/delivery)
  • Hardware and building material stores

Other essential service operations:

  • Garbage, trash and recycling collection
  • Mail and shipping services
  • Child care services

Essential services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operations of residences or other essential businesses including:

  • Law enforcement, fire prevention and response, building code enforcement, security, emergency management and response
  • Mail, post, shipping, logistics, delivery and pick-up services

Additionally:

  • Financial institutions including banks, credit unions and check cashing services
  • Insurance, payroll, accounting, and legal services
  • Providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged populations including homeless shelters food banks, community shelters and critical human services agencies providing direct care or support

You can read the full list of the City Council’s approved list of essential services, as well as the answers to some frequently asked questions about the ordinance on the City of Columbia’s Stay Home Stay Safe page here.

Separate but together in purpose, we have the united will to Stay Home Stay Safe and see this health crisis through.

May God bless you and your family, we’ll get through this…together.

Sincerely,


Steve Benjamin
Mayor
Columbia, South Carolina