Gov. Brian Kemp said Monday that some businesses in Georgia that have been ordered closed under his Coronovirus shelter-in-place order can reopen as soon as Friday if they meet certain safety guidelines.
Those businesses include hair salons, barber shops, bowling alleys, nail and body art service providers, massage therapists and gyms.
Starting Monday, theaters can reopen, and restaurants can serve in their dining rooms. Bars, nightclubs, amusement parks and live performance venues will remain closed for now.
Places of worship can hold in-person services, but they must be done “in accordance with strict social distancing protocols.”
Kemp held a briefing Monday at the Georgia Capitol with Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker Dennis Ralston.
He said his decision to relax business closures was “due to favorable data and more testing” but that it will not be “business as usual” for those businesses that do reopen.
Among the factors Kemp referenced were the availability of hospital and intenstive-care beds—including a temporary hospital at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta—as well as increased testing capability in the state.
More than 80,000 Georgians have been been tested thus far. As of noon Monday, Georgia had 18,947 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and 733 deaths. Cobb has 1,174 cases and 54 deaths.
At Jim Miller Park in Cobb County, people no longer have to have a medical referral but they must have an appointment for a drive-up Coronavirus test if they show symptoms.
“Our small business owners are seeing sales plummet, and the company that they built with blood, sweat, and tears disappear right before them,” Kemp said. “These are tough moments in our state and nation. I hear the concerns of those I am honored to serve.”
Kemp said that all businesses that decide to reopen must meet “Minimum Basic Operation” criteria, including screening workers for fever and respiratory illnesses, wearing masks and gloves if appropriate, maintaining social distancing guidelines of six feet between persons and working in staggered shifts.
Restaurants, theaters and private social clubs must also meet the same social distancing and sanitation mandates in order to open on Monday.
“Unlike other businesses, these entities have been unable to manage inventory, deal with payroll, and take care of administrative items while we shelter in place,” the governor said.
Kemp’s shelter-in-place continues through April 30, and those who are sick or medically fragile should stay at home until May 13, when a statewide public health emergency is set to expire.
Some East Cobb “personal touch” businesses—in particular hair salons—have been telling their customers that when they reopen, all staff and customers will be required to wear masks.
Not long after Kemp’s announcement, East Cobb Barber Shop owner Dee Reitz said her store is opening Friday at 9:30 a.m. “with all hands on on deck!!”
She said customers will be given numbers to maintain social distancing edicts, and no more than six customers will be allowed inside at any time.
“PLEASE bear with us as we figure this out!! We are excited to be able to re-open,” she said on her business’ Facebook page.
Frenchie’s Modern Nail Care on Johnson Ferry Road said it also would reopen on Friday “with stringent protocols and only two guests at a time.”
Management at the East Cobb-McCleskey Family YMCA and Northeast Cobb YMCA branches said it was “carefully considering all the health and safety precautions and guidelines” to determine when they may reopen.
“We look forward to being able to open our facilities to our members as soon as we can ensure that it is safe to do so.”
Kemp said local governments cannot enact measures that are any more or less restrictive than what he is allowing to open back up for now.
“The private sector is going to have to convince the public that it’s safe to come back into these businesses,” he said.
As for churches, synagogues and other faith communities, Kemp said he’s urging them to continue to hold virtual worship events, as many have since early March.
In-person services were never prohibited, although they were limited to no more than 10 people following social distancing measures.
On Monday, Kemp said that “I urge faith leaders to continue to help us in this effort and keep their congregations safe by heeding the advice of public health officials. Of course, online, call-in, or drive-in services remain good options for religious institutions.”
Related Content
- Cobb accelerates drive-up Coronavirus testing
- East Cobb hair salon connects with customers during closure
- The East Cobb Open for Business Directory
- East Cobb News COVID-19 Resource Page
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Make no mistake, we’re going to have a resurgence and be back in the same spot or worse. The only reason we are where we are now is because of sacrifice and hard work by all of us. The Cobb County team has done a stellar job of keeping us safe, and I wish they would be allowed to continue to do that.
Because if Kemp reopening before suggested time is going to have people rushing back into same routine causing more deaths. He needs to be the one to suffer.