Dunwoody Issues Shelter-In-Place Order For Coronavirus

DUNWOODY, GA — Residents in the city of Dunwoody will be under a shelter-in-place order starting at midnight Saturday, according to a city news release. This amendment to the city’s coronavirus emergency ordinance includes exceptions for essential activities listed below. The order will be in effect through April 15, or until it is rescinded or amended by the Dunwoody City Council.

“This is our strongest statement yet in demonstrating how important it is that we work together to help limit the spread of COVID-19,” said Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch in a press release. “The vast majority of our residents and businesses are already doing exactly what’s in this order to protect their families and neighbors, but we want to be clearer about what’s expected.”

The order requires people to “remain at their place of residence” but allows for outdoor activity, like walking, running and bicycling, as long as they “maintain social distancing of at least six feet” from those outside of their family or household.

Gov. Brian Kemp extended the closure of all public schools in Georgia through April 24. He has also banned gatherings of more than 10 people, closed bars and nightclubs, and issued a shelter-in-place order for those who are medically fragile until April 6.

The Georgia Department of Public Health will now be able to close businesses or nonprofits, including churches, that don't follow the new orders.

A petition online has garnered more than 70,000 signatures urging Kemp to issue a shelter-in-place order.

Related: 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.

Residents may also leave their residence for these essential activities:

• To go to work at any business allowed to remain open.
• To engage in activities essential to their health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family or household members or partners or significant others (including, but not limited to, pets). This includes obtaining medical supplies or medication, visiting a health care professional, or obtaining supplies they need to work from home.
• To obtain necessary services, supplies or food for themselves and their family or household members, or to deliver those services or supplies to others. This includes groceries, pet supplies, household products and products necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences.
• To care for a family member or pet in another household.

“Please do not be alarmed by this,” Deutsch said. “You can continue to pick up dinner and go to the grocery store, pharmacy and hardware store. I want to encourage everyone to buy normal quantities of toilet paper, milk and medicine to help ensure that there is enough for everyone.”

This order includes exceptions for people working in essential government services: all first responders, emergency management personnel, emergency dispatchers, court personnel, law enforcement personnel, essential critical infrastructure workers as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, and others who need to perform essential services.

The city’s emergency ordinance requires the temporary closure of dine-in eating, the temporary closure of salons and massage businesses, and the temporary closure of gyms and sports clubs. The ordinance also prohibits gatherings of 10 people or more, with some limited exceptions

Any business allowed to remain open is required take the necessary steps to reduce in-person contact and maintain a distance of 6 feet between individuals while in the establishment.

The shelter-in-place order urges people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and people who are sick to stay in their residence to the extent possible, except as necessary to seek medical care. In addition, individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19, suspect they have COVID-19 based on symptoms or know of an exposure to someone with COVID-19 are required by the Georgia Department of Public Health to isolate or quarantine themselves at home.

Here’s a link to a page of questions and answers about this order.

For more information on the City of Dunwoody’s response to COVID-19, visit dunwoodgyga.gov/COVID19, which also includes links to health information from the CDC and Georgia Department of Public Health.