Gov. Brian Kemp announced Wednesday that public K-12 schools in the state of Georgia will be closed for in-person instruction for the rest of the 2019-20 school year.
He also said he would issue a statewide shelter-in-place order, effective Friday through April 13, to combat the spread of COVID-19.
UPDATED, Thursday, April 2: The details of the statewide shelter-in-place order can be found here, along with the extension of a state of emergency in Cobb County to April 24.
Shortly after Wednesday’s announcement, the Cobb County School District put out a notice that it would provide further academic guidance by the end of the day Thursday.
Cobb schools closed March 13, shortly before Kemp ordered a statewide closure at least through April 24.
The shelter-in-place order will formally be issued on Thursday, including more details about what those restrictions may entail.
Georgia is one of the few states that has not issued such an order. Other nearby states in the Southeast, including Florida, are starting to do so.
Earlier Wednesday, the Cobb Board of Commissioners heard recommendations by the top two officials of Cobb and Douglas Public Health to continue an emergency declaration until April 24 (it’s set to expire April 15) and to close “personal touch” businesses, like hair salons, barber shops and and personal care salons.
The emergency declaration limits the hours of non-essential businesses. Cobb and Douglas Public Health leaders also urged Cobb to keep parks and pools closed for now.
The number of Georgia’s confirmed COVID-19 cases have risen dramatically over the last week, to 4,638 as of noon Wednesday, with 139 deaths. Cobb is reporting 293 cases and 15 deaths, the fourth-highest total in Georgia.
Earlier this week, Kemp activated the Georgia National Guard to nursing homes, senior-living facilities and long-term care homes where COVID-cases have been confirmed.
On Monday the Sterling Estates senior community in East Cobb announced one of its residents had tested positive, and that all residents there are on lockdown.
During his press conference Wednesday, Kemp said state tracking models showed major increases in the rate of community transmission.
The same trends trends were occurring in Cobb, said Dr. Janet Memark of Cobb and Douglas Public Health, at Wednesday’s commissioners’ meeting.
The governor has been reluctant to order all but essential businesses across the state, since some areas of Georgia don’t have that many cases of the virus.
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