Coronavirus: ATL Cities Ban Dining Rooms, Allow Alcohol To-Go

GEORGIA — Cities around metro Atlanta have closed dining rooms to promote social distancing, while now allowing the sale of alcohol to-go.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has ordered all city bars and restaurants to only provide take-out. However, she also is allowing to-go orders of alcohol, she said Friday.

"I have signed an executive order, effective at midnight (on Thursday), limiting restaurants to take out service, closing bars, gyms, etc.," Bottoms said on Twitter. "The fate of cities across the globe will be upon soon if we do not follow recommendations on ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

"Thank you to all who sent helpful info to assist with our bars and restaurants. I've signed an executive order that will allow them to serve alcohol during this take-out only period."

Lance Bottoms has issued a state of emergency for the city, ultimately banning gatherings of more than 10 people through the end of the month.

Others have also adopted similar ordinances:

• Coronavirus: Woodstock Mayor Allows To-Go Alcohol From Eateries
• Coronavirus: Sandy Springs Closes Eateries, Allows To-Go Alcohol
• Coronavirus: Roswell Bans Dining In, Allows To-Go Alcohol
• Coronavirus: Alpharetta Bans Dine-In, Cancels Taste Of Alpharetta
• Coronavirus: Johns Creek Bans Dining In, Allows To-Go Alcohol
• Brookhaven Declares State Of Emergency, Bans In Person Dining
• Chick-Fil-A Closes Dining Rooms To Prevent Coronavirus Risk

Georgia had its largest one-day increase of coronavirus cases on Friday, when the Georgia Department of Public Health released there have been 420 positive cases across the state, and 13 deaths.

The number of confirmed and presumed positive cases of COVID-19 rose from 197 on Wednesday to 287 cases in 28 counties on Thursday. By Friday, there have been 420 positive cases in the state, with 14 deaths, across 50 counties.

The DPH released the numbers of tests taken across the state, which totaled more than 2,300.

There have been 1,682 tests done in a commercial lab, with 289 coming in positive. The Department of Public Health Lab has done 704 tests, and had 131 positives.

Fulton County has the most cases in the state with 79, followed by Cobb County with 45, Bartow with 40, Dougherty with 38, DeKalb with 35, Gwinnett with 20, Cherokee with 13, Fayette with 10, and Clarke and Clayton with nine.

The Georgia National Guard has been called in to help with the distribution of food and medicine after Gov. Brian Kemp on Saturday signed Georgia's first public health emergency declaration. The state of emergency includes price control restrictions for Georgia until April 14 as shoppers scramble to find necessities like toilet paper and cleaning supplies.

The anti-price gouging measures prohibit sellers from increasing prices significantly from pre-emergency levels, and allows Georgians to report potential violators.

Globally, more than 255,000 people have been infected and more than 10,400 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Friday. Of that total, more than 14,000 confirmed cases are in the United States. There have been 205 deaths in the U.S. have been tied to the virus outbreak, as of Friday morning.