On Monday morning, Governor Whitmer enacted a stay-at-home order for the next three weeks. Naturally, a lot of people’s initial reaction is to panic. STOP! Take a breath, gather your thoughts, and calm down. There is no need to panic and hoarding food/products is not going to protect you, either.

Officials all around the country are urging people not to take these orders as a martial law takeover. This is simply to keep people safe and prevent COVID-19 from continuing to spread. That includes officials right here in West Michigan.

The Kent County Sheriff’s Department shared a post from the Health Department reminding people of this very thing. The biggest takeaway is that people who are hoarding are causing stores to be empty of essentials, not due to a lack of supply. 

Keep in mind, there's also less trucks on the road right now so getting supplies is just a little slower than it normally would be. This doesn't mean you should go out and panic buy. Instead, the best way to protect yourself and your family is to abide by what you've already been told: practice social distancing, have good hygiene, and avoid large gatherings -- it basically comes down to common sense.

This at-home-order doesn't mean you'll get in trouble if you leave your house. Yes, you can go get gas or food. Yes, you can go outside for a walk. Get fresh air. Breathe. In the words of Bob Marley, everything's gonna be alright.

See a list of "essential businesses" that will stay open over the next three weeks here.

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