Gwinnett County, All Cities, In Stay At Home Order: Coronavirus

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — All 16 cities in Gwinnett County, along with the county itself, are under stay-at-home orders until April 13, officials said. The order agreed to by Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash and the Gwinnett mayors took effect at midnight Friday to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Essential businesses — such as grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and restaurants that have carry-out or drive-through service — can remain open. Residents are reminded that when they do go out to practice social distancing, stay at least 6 feet away from others to avoid sharing germs.

Nash said the coronavirus pandemic requires extraordinary actions to protect the residents of Gwinnett County. As of Saturday, state health officials said there are 129 coronavirus cases in Gwinnett County.

“We are all navigating uncharted waters as we respond to the COVID-19 public health
emergency, and I am grateful to each of the cities for their decisive actions,” Nash said in a statement. “The district commissioners and I would like to express our deep appreciation to all of our residents and businesses for making temporary sacrifices for the good of our communities as our hospitals, healthcare workers, and first responders prepare for a rapidly growing caseload.”

Gov. Brian Kemp extended the closure of all public schools in Georgia through April 24.

Read the full local emergency order on the county website.

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• Is Your Restaurant Open? We Want To Hear From You: GA Coronavirus

Georgia's cases of the new coronavirus increased by 365 from March 27 to March 28. The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 2,366 cases and 69 deaths, or nearly 3 percent of cases. The state has 617 hospitalizations, representing just over a quarter of the state's COVID-19 cases.

Get the latest updates on the new coronavirus in Georgia as they happen. Sign up for free news alerts and a newsletter in your Patch town.

Gwinnett Municipal Association President Kelly Kelkenberg, who also serves as mayor pro-tem for the city of Duluth, said, “Our residents need to understand the extreme danger and seriousness of the coronavirus, to which no one has immunity. We are acting in unison to stem its spread, to keep from overwhelming our medical facilities, and to save lives.”

Residents may leave their homes for essential health and safety activities such as obtaining food, medication and medical supplies, household consumer supplies and healthcare services or caring for a family member or pet in another household. Outdoor activity, like walking, hiking, running or bicycling, is allowed as long as people comply with social distancing requirements, the county said.

All businesses that operate in Gwinnett County must shut down activity except for the minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the business’ inventory, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, and related functions. This directive applies to for-profit, nonprofit or private educational entities; it excludes essential businesses. Businesses consisting exclusively of employees or contractors who work from home may continue to operate.

The order can be extended, rescinded, or changed by Nash

On March 25 Gwinnett County issued a local emergency order shutting down entertainment venues and limiting restaurants to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading. The order is in effect until April 6.

The order states that "gyms, fitness centers, fitness studios, theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys arcades, and other similar establishments" will be temporarily closed. Food service, including restaurants, food courts, bars, and breweries, is limited to drive-thrus, delivery and takeout.

This comes after Monday's announcement by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp that all bars and nightclubs are temporarily closed. All gatherings with more than 10 people are also be banned.

The Centers for Disease Control recommend at least a 6-foot distance between all people in person and limiting as much contact between people as possible. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, the county currently has 17 cases of COVID-19.