State Of Georgia Covid-19 updates and developments

Gov. Kemp allows some businesses to reopen, shelter-in-place order to expire

Kemp said gyms, bowling alleys, hair salons, barber shops, nail salons and other similar businesses can reopen statewide on Friday.
The governor said he is allowing elective surgeries to take place again.
Some restaurants, theaters will be able to reopen with strict social distancing guidelines.
Kemp said he will let the statewide shelter-in-place order expire on April 30. The elderly and medically fragile patients have to shelter-in-place until May 13.
Houses of worship will be allowed to hold in-person services but within the social distancing guidelines.

Given the favorable data, Kemp said that gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, beauty shops and salons, barbershops, body art studios, and more would be able to open Friday, April 24.

Kemp said the reopening of these businesses "would not be business-as-usual" and would require companies to implement changes to ensure sanitation mandates and social distancing.

The govenor 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. That delay would allow Georgia more time to flatten the curve and allow the businesses to prepare to be ready to open.

Bars, nightclubs, and amusement parks would remain closed until further notice, the governor said.

[sic]

Fox5

Lowndes county is still climbing but slowly 96 confirmed 6 dead.

Lanier hasent budged but dont know if that's because its a poor county that doesn't want to spend the money, or its just not catching a hold there.

I am glad they are opening it back up. We are all going to get the virus sooner than later anyway (if you haven't had it already). We just can't do it all at the same time.

No one is really locked down here in GA. You can go out anytime you want. Lots of places have been open this whole lock down.

I do want to know how hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, tattoo parlors, massage therapists and other similar businesses are going to keep the 6ft rule.

They better darn sure come through with the testing tracking and TeleDoc's, like the State said it would. If not ATL will be the next NYC.

CDC beginning COVID-19 antibody survey Tuesday in Georgia counties

Georgia health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are about to start an antibody testing survey in an effort to better understand how many Georgians may have already been infected with the coronavirus.

Officials say that between Tuesday, April 28 and May 4, public health teams will be visiting homes in Fulton and DeKalb County.

At each home, members of the household will be asked to answer a few survey questions and provide a blood sample that will be used to test for antibodies for SARS-CoV-2, which would show whether they had previously been infected with COVID-19. Participation is voluntary.

Don't know if I will give them any blood if they show up at my house.

Just have to wait and see.

Georgia Went First. And It Screwed Up.

The governor’s decision came as a surprise to our mayors, who were not consulted or informed about his executive order in advance — and were barred by one of its clauses from issuing local orders more or less restrictive than his.

Many felt the choice was the wrong one for their communities. Bo Dorough, a Democrat, is the mayor of Albany, Ga., which at one point in the pandemic had the most Covid-19 deaths per capita outside New York City. He pleaded with the governor to “recognize there are exceptions.” Atlanta’s Democratic mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, who described seeing people lined up for haircuts and manicures in the days following the reopening announcement, said, “What we are essentially saying in Georgia is, ‘Go bowling and we’ll have a bed waiting on you.’”

Even Randy Toms, a Republican who is the mayor of Warner Robins, near Atlanta, said the order was concerning. “I don’t want people to go out and believe the virus is gone,” he said. But the governor didn’t budge.

Have the goal posts been moved?

This is a very contagious virus. Anyone that can get it will get the virus.

So having a bed waiting on you, if you are one of the 20% that will need it, is about all the state can do.

I don't think the virus will ever be gone. If beds are available in the hospitals, there is no reason not to go back to your normal life, unless you are in a high risk group.