Coronavirus: Sandy Springs Closes Eateries, Allows To-Go Alcohol

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — The Sandy Springs City Council held a special-called meeting Friday to approve an ordinance limiting establishments that serve food to takeout and delivery only. The ordinance calls for the closure of retail facilities, including nightclubs, gyms, movie theaters, live performance venues, and other establishments where many people gather for social activities.

“In speaking with Dr. Carlos del Rio, chair of the Department of Global Health in the division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, and in keeping with recommendations from public health officials, this is a necessary move in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” said Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul.

The measure calls for the temporary closure of bars, nightclubs, gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters, live performance venues, bowling alleys, arcades, and private social clubs (with respect to food services and other indoor gatherings at such social clubs).

Restaurants and other eating and dining establishments where food is served must cease offering dine-in services, but may continue preparing and offering food to customers via delivery, drive-through or take-out services. Patrons, employees and contractors of the establishments must maintain at least six feet of personal distance between themselves as much as possible given the physical constraints of the premises. If a restaurant is licensed by the City of Sandy Springs to sell beer and wine for on-premises consumption, under this amended ordinance, the restaurant may sell unopened bottles of beer or wine for take-out consumption off-premises.

Sandy Springs has set up a website for the public to keep updated on what is still open.

Cafeterias in hospitals, nursing homes, or similar facilities are currently exempt from these restrictions.

“These are unprecedented times, and we need to heed the guidance from health officials,” Paul said. “Based on recommendations from the CDC and local experts, we believe it is in the best interests of the public to restrict opportunities for public gathering while we try to curb the spread of COVID-19.”

The amended ordinance becomes effective at midnight, March 20, and remains in effect for the time the Emergency Declaration Ordinance is in effect.

See more:

• Coronavirus: Sandy Springs Issues State Of Emergency
• Sandy Springs: What's Open, Closed Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Paul also stressed that the ordinance would not impact takeout or delivery capabilities for local restaurants and to encourage this shift in dining. Paul has proclaimed Friday, March 20 as "Takeout and Delivery Night in Sandy Springs."

“I encourage everyone to call into their favorite restaurant and order to go, whether takeout or delivery," Paul said. "It is important that we support our local retailers to the extent possible."

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

Other cities have also adopted similar ordinances:

• Coronavirus: Woodstock Mayor Allows To-Go Alcohol From Eateries
• 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

GA Coronavirus Cases See Biggest 1-Day Jump; ATL Closes Eateries

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 13 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.

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.