AMA implores governors to implement stay at home orders amid COVID-19 pandemic

In an April 3 letter to the National Governors Association (NGA), the American Medical Association (AMA) called on all governors to adopt stay-at-home orders to limit the spread of COVID-19. The AMA also urged governors to close non-essential business, limit non-essential activities, and prohibit gatherings as the country responds to the pandemic.

While most states have issued stay-at-home orders, at the time the letter was released by the AMA, the following states still had not:

  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Iowa
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Wyoming

The governors of Alabama, Missouri, and South Carolina have since issued stay-at-home orders while the governor of Oklahoma issued a stay-at-home order for adults over the age of 65 and other vulnerable residents.

“It is vital that states keep residents at home to avoid overwhelming our health care systems and depleting the equipment, resources and manpower needed to care for the influx of critically ill patients,” James L. Madara, MD, AMA executive vice president and CEO, wrote in the letter to the NGA. “[A] uniform response to the pandemic across all states is critical and stay-at-home orders are a necessary defense to turn the tide against COVID-19. We strongly urge all states to issue stay-at-home orders to residents if they have not done so already. These directives will save lives.”