The state of emergency is one of the most serious powers a government can exercise, and it allows the president to make regulations that infringe on many of the rights that citizens normally enjoy. There are typically conditions required for a state of emergency to be called and limitations on how long the state can last (although these can sometimes be circumvented by certain governments), and it is usually considered a very dangerous power to have.
A state of emergency gives the government the ability to impose travel restrictions, ration supplies like water and food, commandeer or take control of infrastructure, restrict public assemblies, prohibit protests, suppress secrecy of correspondence, suppress freedom of assembly and impose other restrictions that would be unfeasible under ordinary circumstances. This state of emergency can also be escalated into a “state of siege” which reduces civil liberties even further and allows the president to search without warrants or consent, suspend the constitution and electoral laws, and remove elected officials from office.
The Governor’s declaration of a state of emergency does not mandate administrative policies for individual businesses or address workplace situations where employees are unable to travel, so they will need to determine the best way to continue to function during this time. In addition, schools must also work with their district and MEMA to decide on school closures, delayed openings and cancellations, and the designation of essential employees.