Georgia governor extends shelter in place through end of April

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said Wednesday that he will extend the state’s shelter-in-place order over the coronavirus through April 30.

Speaking at the state capitol, Kemp said the order, which had to expire Monday at 11:59 p.m., would extend through the end of the month, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Kemp also said he had signed another executive order that will suspend short-term vacation rentals throughout the state, set to take effect midnight Thursday.

The order, initially announced April 3, bars restaurants and private social clubs from offering dine-in services, while continuing to allow take-out, curbside pick-up and delivery services.

Kemp said he had also signed an order that would ban the majority of visitors to senior care facilities and require in-room dining services for residents and regular health screenings for employees.

Kemp announced that, as of Wednesday, Georgia’s National Guard has established 36 infection control teams to disinfect nearly 70 assisted living facilities and nursing homes, and that they had the capacity to clean up to 10 percent of the state’s facilities daily.

Georgia has confirmed more than 9,800 cases of the virus as of Wednesday afternoon and more than 360 deaths. State parks and beaches remain open under the order, which has led to widespread criticism of Kemp, particularly from county commissioners in the northern part of the state. Kemp reportedly acknowledged the concerns but said he would not shut down those sites unless “something gets out of control.”

Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) and state House Speaker David Ralston (R) also announced Wednesday that Georgia’s public health state of emergency, also slated to expire on Monday, will remain in place another month through May 13.

We are extending the Public Health State of Emergency through May 13. This will allow us to continue deploying resources, lend support to frontline healthcare workers, and help as we prepare for a potential patient surge in our hospitals. https://t.co/p4jMERSzQP #gapol

— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) April 8, 2020