Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp today issued an executive order requiring certain individuals with an increased risk of complications from COVID-19 to stay out of public spaces.
“At minimum, this order for isolation, quarantine, or shelter in place covers those who live in a long-term care facility, have chronic lung disease, are undergoing cancer treatment, have a positive COVID-19 test, are suspected to have COVID-19 because of their symptoms and exposure, or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19,” the governor said during a televised address from the State Capitol.
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The governor put the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) in charge of ensuring ways for these individuals to access essential services, travel, and receive visitors in end-of-life circumstances.
The governor’s order also closes all bars and nightclubs in the state and bans “all gatherings of ten or more people unless you can maintain at least six feet between people at all times.”
The executive order is in effect from noon Tuesday, March 24, through Monday, April 6.
As long as the order is in place, DPH will have the authority to close any business, establishment, non-profit, or organization that does not comply. Kemp says the measures “are intended to ensure the health and safety of Georgians across our state” and were developed based on guidance from the CDC and DPH.
READ Gov. Kemp’s executive order for public health measures
Taxes, healthcare licensing, and SNAP
In addition to his executive order, Kemp announced he is extending the state tax filing deadline for Georgians to July 15. That’s when federal taxes also are now due.
Kemp also announced several other key actions he has taken in response to COVID-19. They include:
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- Authorizing the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security (GEMAHS) to activate up to 2,000 National Guard troops to assist with the state’s COVID-19 response if needed
- Allowing temporary licensure of out of state doctors, nurses, and pharmacists
- Allowing all Georgia licensed pharmacists to dispense a 90 day supply of a prescription drug if the patient has no remaining refills and the pharmacist can not get in touch with the prescribing provider. Licensed pharmacists also may temporarily issue early refills on prescription drugs except for Schedule II narcotics.
- Lifting restrictions on the expansion of healthcare facilities, new services, and expenditures to remove regulatory red tape to expedite projects to meet patients’ needs.
- Increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to the maximum allowable amount for households in March and April. [Senior citizens who typically receive about $15 in SNAP benefits each month are now eligible to receive $194 per month].
Quarantine facilities and hospitals
In response to the increasing shortage of hospital beds, state officials in
Georgia have asked federal officials to allow them to keep the temporary medical facility at Dobbins Air Reserve Base open. The facility currently is being used to quarantine passengers who were aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship. “Once cruise ship passengers depart, we are hopeful that we will have this location in the metro-area for patient diversion,” Kemp said. “It will offer roughly 200 patient beds if needed.”
Construction on a 20-unit quarantine facility at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Monroe County is nearly complete. The campus also offers as many as 242 dorm rooms to use if there’s a patient surge.
State officials are urging healthcare providers across Georgia to consider canceling elective procedures to preserve medical supplies and free up resources, including workers and treatment space. The state also is exploring projects with the Army Corps of Engineers to possibly convert arena space, large buildings, vacant and underutilized properties into hospital space.
The Georgia National Guard is standing up teams to support regional coordinating hospitals, and the first team will embed for training with Grady Health System in the next forty-eight hours. In addition, the Georgia Department of Defense is working with the Georgia Medical Reserve Corps to administratively attach to the State Defense Force, which is made up of volunteer workers who assist in emergencies.
“To bolster our responsiveness, Georgia has also signed a statewide contract with Healthcare Workforce Logistics to deploy clinical staff during any patient surge,” said Kemp.
The governor along with governors from 21 other states signed a letter to Congress requesting more block grant funding to help with their state’s COVID-19 response. “We desperately need these resources,” Kemp said.
Amid the updates, Gov. Kemp again urged Georgians to follow CDC and DPH health guidelines and to look out for one another. “While we have taken strategic direct action today, I am calling on my fellow citizens to fight this virus with everything you’ve got,” Kemp said. “We can not let this virus defeat us. We are stronger than this crisis and we will weather this storm.”
READ Gov. Kemp’s full speech here
