Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington has announced a curfew in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. The curfew will begin on Sunday, March 29.

The curfew will run between the hours of 9:00 pm and 5:00 am. Additionally, there is a curfew for youth under the age of eighteen from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m..

More information is provided in the press release below.

 

(Pine Bluff, AR) – Beginning on Sunday, March 29, the City of Pine Bluff will enforce a curfew to discourage public gatherings.  This is a part of the city’s ongoing efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. Between the hours of 9:00 pm and 5:00 am, all non-essential travel will be prohibited. Residents should not leave their homes unless they are shopping for groceries or food, travelling to a gas station, commuting for work, seeking medical treatment, or caring for a relative.

There will also be a curfew for youth under the age of eighteen from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for which the same exemptions as above will apply. “The school children should stay inside unless accompanied by an adult. We want parents to make sure they are using this time constructively,” Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington said.

Based on projections from public health officials and the Governor, the COVID-19 pandemic may worsen in the next few weeks if social distancing guidelines are not followed.  Public gatherings of 10 people or more have been prohibited by the Governor until further notice. The Pine Bluff Police Department will strictly enforce this order throughout the community. This order remains in effect even outside of local curfew hours. Non-essential businesses, restaurants, organizations, and faith organizations are encouraged to follow this directive.

Mayor Washington stated, “A lot of COVID-19 tests are being administered, and most of our tests are coming back negative. However, numbers can change drastically overnight. Therefore, we want to be as aggressively proactive as we can.”

The Coronavirus is a global pandemic and poses a significant risk to the health and safety of the entire world. The city is committed to working with public health officials, law enforcement agents, and government personnel on the federal, state, and county level to protect and keep our community safe.