Mask, Vaccine, Distance Mandates Nixed By Gov. Kemp

ATLANTA, GA — Gov. Brian Kemp announced a new executive order on Thursday that essentially bans local governments from requiring many COVID-19 precautions, including mask mandates, vaccine requirements, and capacity limits.

After the news conference Thursday afternoon, Kemp tweeted that the executive order he signed, "will make sure businesses across our state can’t be punished by local governments for trying to make a living, pay their employees, and save their livelihoods. Georgia is open for business!"

Private businesses may still require masks or vaccines, or limit the capacity inside, but local governments may not do so under the order.

Kemp said the goal was to prevent a lockdown from local officials, mentioning Atlanta and Savannah, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. He mentioned his background as a small business owner of a construction firm.

Read more:

• Savannah Reinstates COVID-19 Mask Mandate, Vaccinated Or Not
• Mask Mandates Reinstated For Atlanta Public Indoor Spaces
• Mask Mandate To Return In Cobb County Public Buildings

“The fact is that small businesses across our state should not be punished by local governments just because they’re trying to make a living, pay their employees and save their livelihoods,” Kemp said during the news conference. “The one thing that makes tough times even harder when you’re running your own business is the government.”

GA Hits 1M Recorded Coronavirus Cases Since Start Of Pandemic

Since the coronavirus pandemic began in Georgia in March 2020, the Peach State marked a milestone on Tuesday when it hit more than 1 million recorded cases.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, there have been 1,000,872 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia, as of Tuesday afternoon. The state has seen more than 19,000 deaths, and 69,000 hospitalizations over the past 17 months.

The state department still updates its numbers daily, with 6,820 more cases confirmed Friday afternoon, and 48 more deaths. That brings the state totals to 1,019,585 cases in Georgia, and 19,179 deaths.