In making the announcement, Beshear noted that his order was in attempt to help battle the current Coronavirus outbreak that is sweeping across the nation as well as the world.

“Life-sustaining retail businesses that will stay open include grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, hardware stores, gas stations and other businesses that provide staple goods.

Entertainment, sporting goods, clothing, shoe, jewelry and furniture stores, florists, bookstores and auto dealers are among those business that will close. Nonessential retail businesses, while they cannot allow Kentuckians into stores, can still fill phone and online orders through curbside services or delivery.

“This is the next step that we need to take to reduce the contacts among Kentuckians until we can defeat this virus,” Gov. Beshear said. He said there is no need to rush to grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations that can remain open. “There is going to be enough of the essentials for everybody,” he said.

Retail businesses that remain open must follow, to the fullest extent practicable, social distancing and hygiene guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Kentucky Department for Public Health, which includes ensuring physical separation of employees and customers by at least six feet when possible; ensuring employees practice appropriate hygiene measures and ordering sick individuals to leave the premises. Failure to follow the order could subject a business to closure.

A more complete list of what can remain open and what should be closed due to the order looks like:

Allowed to remain open

• Auto parts, repair, accessory and tire stores

• Auto, truck and van rentals

• Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers

• Banks, credit unions, check cashing, wire transfer and other financial services

• Food and beverage stores, including grocery stores, supermarkets, specialty food stores, meat markets, fish and seafood markets, fruit and vegetable markets, and beer, wine and liquor shops.

• Pharmacies and drug stores

• Gasoline stations and convenience stores

• General merchandise stores, including warehouse clubs and supercenters

• Pet and pet supplies stores

• Firearms and ammunition stores

• Carry-out, drive-thru and delivery sales of food and beverages

Not allowed to remain open

• Auto dealers

• Other motor vehicle dealers

• Furniture and home furnishing stores

• Electronics and appliance stores

• Cosmetics, beauty supplies and perfume stores

• Optical goods stores

• Other health and personal care stores

• Clothing stores

• Shoe stores

• Jewelry, luggage and leather goods stores

• Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument and book stores

• Department stores

• Florists

• Office supplies, stationary and gift stores

• Used merchandise stores

• All other miscellaneous store retailers

Gov. Beshear continues to urge Kentuckians to be cautious of rumors and depend on proven and good sources of news, including governor.ky.gov, kycovid19.ky.gov and the Governor’s official social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.