Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms urges Atlanta residents to saty home as some Georgia businesses begin opening up.
What We Know:
- Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms urged residents to “just stay home” as the Governor offers to open the state.
- Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp announced Monday that the state would be allowing some businesses, including tattoo parlors, hair salons, and bowling alleys, to reopen.
- Kemp said “Informed by the Coronavirus Task Forces and public health officials, opening up America again includes three phases to safely reopen and get folks back to work”.
- Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in an ABC’s interview “Just stay home. Listen to the scientist. There is nothing essential about going to a bowling alley or getting a manicure in the middle of the pandemic.”
- “It is necessary that we continue to distance ourselves. To the extent that we’ve had any type of relief in this state it’s because we have been agressive, especially in the metro Atlanta area, in socially distancing and asking people to stay home,” advised the mayor.
- Governor Kemp sent out a series of tweets on Thursday on his decision to reopen businesses.
Now, with favorable data and approval from state health officials, we are taking another measured step forward by opening shuttered businesses for limited operations. I know these hardworking Georgians will prioritize the safety of their employees and customers. (4/5) #gapol
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) April 24, 2020
- Georgia has 21,883 confirmed cases of the virus and a total of 881 deaths as of 6pm Thursday according to the Georgia Department of Health.
- Even President Trump spoke out against Governor Kemp’s decision to open the state of Georgia.
- “I told Governor Kemp that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the phase on guidline… at the same time he must do what he thinks is right. I want him to do what he thinks is right, but I disagree with him on what he’s doing” Trump stated.
- Mayor Bottoms stated “We are still having thousands upon thousands of people testing positive. Our death rate is contiuing to go up and the way that it was explained to me by our public health officials is simply because we may have reached one peak doesnt mean that we wont reach another”.
Even with places like hair and nail salons and tattoo parlors and bowling alleys, being open patrons are some how still required to stay six feet away from eachother. As more and more businesses open up there will be a new normal.
