Gov. Brian Kemp today issued a statewide order that requires residents and visitors to the state to shelter in place in their homes or place of residence.
The order takes effect at 6 p.m. Friday and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on April 13.
Exceptions to the order include:
- participating in essential services like buying food, supplies for household consumption medical supplies or treatment or engaging in outdoor exercise activities
- performing necessary travel
- minimum basic operations at a business
- working in a critical infrastructure sector
As of April 3, all restaurant dining rooms statewide must close but restaurants may still provide take-out, curbside pickup, and delivery.
The order shuts down all bars, nightclubs, gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, theaters, and live performance venues. Operators of amusement rides, estheticians, hair designers, beauty shops and salons, barbershops, body art studios, cosmetology schools, barber schools, nail care schools, esthetic schools, and licensed massage therapists must stop in-person operations and close to the public.
The order deputizes state agencies, including the Georgia Department of Public Health and Department of Public Safety and any other state officer deputized by the governor or Georgia Emergency Management Agency to ensure enforcement.
State parks remain open: Local officials want governor to close them
The order will be the statewide standard. Local jurisdictions must follow this standard, no more, no less, the governor says.
That’s bad news for some local county officials who had hoped Kemp would shut down Georgia’s State Parks. He did not.
“I was extremely surprised to see that State Parks along with their overnight accommodations and campgrounds were still open,” Habersham County Commission Chair Tim Stamey tells Now Habersham. “How can you order individuals to shelter in place except for essential needs and also tell them they can visit State Parks and obviously stay there or camp as long as they maintain social distancing? This does not pass the common sense test and is sending mixed signals.”
While there are no state park visitor centers in Habersham County, part of Tallulah Gorge State Park extends into Habersham County. The county also is within miles of Unicoi State Park in White County and Moccasin Creek State Park in north Rabun County.
Stamey has spoken with Rabun County Commission Chairman Greg James and Habersham Commission Chairman Stacy Hall. He says both are “supportive of gathering a coalition to approach Governor Kemp about closing the parks.”
Stamey is working to pull together more local leaders to join the coalition to urge the governor to act. Meanwhile, the White County Commission did just that. On Thursday commissioners expanded White County’s local emergency order and told out of town visitors they must leave.
As of noon Friday, White County is temporarily closing off new reservations for all hotels/motels, inns, short-term vacation rental cabins, campgrounds, recreational vehicle parks and resorts in the county. Any non-White County residents who are currently staying at any of these facilities have until noon, Saturday, April 4 to leave the county.
“Unfortunately we have to take these measures to protect our citizens from visitors potentially spreading the Corona Virus in our county,” says White County Commission Chairman Travis Turner. “Most of our attractions, such as Babyland General, the winery tasting rooms and the US Forest Service Trails are closed and we are asking non-residents to not visit White County for the next couple of weeks to try to prevent any further spread of the virus.”
White County’s action follows similar steps taken earlier this week by Helen City Commissioners. The county announced the new measures just prior to Gov. Kemp announcing his statewide shelter in place order.
The governor says he’s acting on the recommendations of public health officials and urges Georgians to stay calm. “You can still go to the grocery store. And we’re working hard with retailers to keep the supply chain moving and the shelves stocked.”
Kemp asks Georgians “to hunker down, follow the directives we’ve issued, and help us flatten the curve.”
People may submit complaints about violations of the governor’s executive orders to the governor’s website at gov.ga.gov.
VIEW FULL ORDER HERE
SUMMARY OF ORDER & CRITICAL SERVICES DEFINED
This article has been updated
