COVID-19 Social Distancing Rules Relaxed In Kemp Executive Order

GEORGIA — Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday relaxed many of the social distancing orders that have been in place since the beginning of Georgia’s State of Emergency in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Early Friday evening, the governor’s office issued a new COVID-19 executive order modifying social distancing and handwashing requirements to “strongly encouraged,” citing the success of the statewide vaccination program among the rationale for the step.

“As a result of the state's successful vaccine distribution program, ample supply of COVID-19 tests and personal protective equipment, improved treatment methods for COVID-19 patients, and Georgia residents' efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing, wearing face coverings, and hand sanitization, COVID-19 hospitalizations and the rate of new COVID-19 cases have steadily declined,” Kemp's executive order states.

The new guidelines wipe away rules mandating table distancing in restaurants and bars and mask requirements for food service workers and remove “all specific requirements” dictating rules for gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters, massage and nail parlors, barbershops and beauty salons, and tattoo and body art studios.

Prohibitions on visitors at childcare facilities are dropped and convention requirements were reduced.

Also, rules dictating how live performance venues or sports teams regulate masking and social distancing will be left to the respective organizations, the executive order says. Rules for graduation ceremonies will follow the same guidelines, according to the executive order.