Atlanta Mayor's Stay At Home Order Delayed By Gov. Kemp

ATLANTA, GA — Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has a stay-at-home order for the city of Atlanta ready to execute, but she’s been asked by Gov. Brian Kemp to hold off for now. Bottoms shared the news with city council members Monday, reports WXIA.

"I have in place an executive order that will essentially create - it's a stay-at-home order for the City of Atlanta," Mayor Bottoms told council members.

"I had a conversation with the governor this morning” Bottoms told council members. “The governor is expected to make additional announcements this afternoon. He has asked that I hold off on signing that order until I hear his additional recommendations or his additional orders for the state. I have agreed to do that."

Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to update the public at 5 p.m. on Georgia's coronavirus response. Bottoms said she’d make any necessary changes to the already drafted order if need be.

The city’s BeltLine and parks will stay open under the order, said the mayor, following advice of doctors.

“...During the isolation period it's still going to be important for mental and physical health reasons that people continue to go out and exercise," she said.

Bottoms said the city will continue to monitor the parks and BeltLine to determine if the decision needs to be overturned.

Globally, more than 370,000 people have been infected and more than 16,000 people have died from the COVID-19 virus, Johns Hopkins reported as of midday Monday. Of that total, more than 81,400 confirmed cases are in China, while the entire United States has 41,500 confirmed cases as of midday Monday. There have been almost 573 deaths in the U.S., including 25 in Georgia, that have been tied to the virus outbreak.

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