SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) – As Bay Area residents prepare to remain in their homes starting Monday at midnight in an effort to reduce the spreading of the coronavirus, essential services will remain open. 

Officials announced that six Bay Area counties are ordered to stay at home and only leave for essential needs. The order will be effective through April 7 as essential government services will continue.

It affects nearly 7 million people in the counties of San Francisco, Marin, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Alameda, which includes the cities of Berkeley and Oakland.

Most people will have to work from home. The order says residents can go out only for “essential activities” — like buying food, seeing a doctor or caring for a family member — and only “essential” businesses and government functions can remain open, including health care, public transportation, hardware stores, garbage collection, gas stations, laundromats and banks.

Outdoor exercise is fine, as long as people practice social distancing.

“You can still walk your dog or go on a hike with another person, as long as you keep 6 feet between you,” said Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

California’s national parks and state parks remained open, but many parks said they were shutting indoor spaces, including visitor centers and museums.

What will stay open?

  • City Hall
  • Police Departments 
  • Fire Departments
  • Public Transit 
  • Sanitation 
  • Trash pick up 
  • Mailing services
  • Airports
  • Grocery stores
  • Pharmacies
  • Health care
  • Gas stations
  • Banks
  • Restaurants (take-out or delivery only)
  • Veterinary services
  • Laundromats
  • Hardware stores
  • DMV

What will be closed? Bars, nightclubs, gyms, salons, and everything else.

Despite the new restrictions Mayor Breed encourages the community to remain calm and practice social distancing to reduce possible spreading of the coronavirus.  

“These measures will be disruptive to everyday to day-to-day life but there is no need to panic,” Breed said. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Latest on the coronavirus outbreak: