Gov. Brian Kemp issued an executive order on Friday ininiating the first steps in reopening Georgia, allowing certain businesses like gyms, hair salons and massage therapy to resume operations on Friday April 24 by following certain restrictions. The executive order preempts or ties the hands of local municipalities who might want to put into place or enforce different restrictions. In a verbal statement, Governor Kemp also said that movie theaters and restaurants, which were previously banned from in-person dining, would be allowed to reopen on Monday, April 27 with certain restrictions to be announced later this week. Bars, nightclubs, and amusement parks would remain closed until further notice, the governor said.
The governor also urged religious institutions to continue to help with social distancing. He asked faith leaders to heed the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and continue drive-in and online services to help with those guidelines.
Kemp said with the reopenings he expected cases of the virus to increase but believed that the state would be able to stay on top of it with increased hospital capacity.
Executive Order by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp
Ordered that all gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios permitted pursuant to Code Section 31-40-2, businesses registered pursuant to Code Sections 43-10-11 and 43-10-18, estheticians as defined by Code Section 43-10-1(8), hair designers as defined by Code Section 43-10-1(9), and persons licensed to practice massage therapy pursuant to Code Section 43-24A-8, may begin in-person Minimum Basic Operations on Friday, April 24, 2020. All such businesses shall implement measures that mitigate the exposure and spread of COVID-19. Such measures shall include:
1. Screening and evaluating workers who exhibit signs of illness,
such as a fever over 100-4 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, or
shortness of breath;
2. Requiring workers who exhibit signs of illness to not report to
work or to seek medical attention;
3. Enhancing sanitation of the workplace as appropriate;
4. Requiring hand washing or sanitation by workers at
appropriate places within the business location;
5. Providing personal protective equipment as available and
appropriate to the function and location of the worker within
the business location;
6. Prohibiting gatherings of workers during working hours;
7. Permitting workers to take breaks and meals outside, in their
office or personal workspace, or in such other areas where
proper social distancing is attainable;
8. Implementing teleworking for all possible workers;
9. Implementing staggered shifts for all possible workers;
10. Holding all meetings and conferences virtually, wherever
possible;
11. Delivering intangible services remotely wherever possible;
12. Discouraging workers from using other workers' phones,
desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment;
13. Prohibiting handshaking and other unnecessary person-to-person
contact in the workplace;
14. Placing notices that encourage hand hygiene at the entrance
to the workplace and in other workplace areas where they are
likely to be seen;
15. Suspending the use of Personal Identification Number
("PIN") pads, PIN entry devices, electronic signature capture,
and any other credit card receipt signature requirements to
the extent such suspension is permitted by agreements with
credit card companies and credit agencies;
16. Enforcing social distancing of non-cohabitating persons while
present on such entity's leased or owned property;
17. For retailers and service providers, providing for alternative
points of sale outside of buildings, including curbside pickup
or delivery of products and/ or services if an alternative point
of sale is permitted under Georgia law;
18. Increasing physical space between workers and customers;
19. Providing disinfectant and sanitation products for workers to
clean their workspace, equipment, and tools;
20.Increasing physical space between workers' worksites to at
least six (6) feet.
Ordered that pursuant to Executive Order 04.02.20.01 and Code Section 38-3-51, enforcement of any county or municipal ordinance or order that is more or less restrictive than this Order is hereby suspended.
John, thank you, your fellow council members, and our mayor for your early and prudent efforts. I can only hope they won't be negated entirely by the governor's effort. At the very least, he might have waited until he had those "guidelines" in hand before announcing dates to begin a return toward business as usual.
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