On Thursday afternoon, Ironton Mayor Sam Cramblit gathered local officials in a mandatory meeting to tell them he was declaring a state of emergency for the city that would limit large groups of people from gathering and eliminate visitors to nursing homes.

“The city will be issuing a state of emergency to stop and mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus,” he told the assembled group of city department heads, two county commissioners, local judges, the Lawrence County Health Department and others.

“What this means right now is we will include a limitation on public gatherings greater than 200, we will also instruct administrators of nursing homes in the city to cease visitations,” he said. “We are also mandating a no handshake policy citywide and requesting that we put signs on all businesses.”

Cramblit said that he would continue to talk to the local officials and to keep the public informed on what is happening.

He said he would also be strongly encouraging business owners to provide protective gear to employees and to encourage the businesses to properly sanitize.

“All precautions will remain in effect until further notice,” Cramblit said. “But there can be changes as we move forward.”

City government offices will remain open at this time and the primary election on Tuesday at the Lawrence County Courthouse will go on as planned.

“But we do encourage early voting,” he said.