In addition to our normal news coverage, What Now Atlanta is tracking ways Atlanta’s businesses are adapting to the novel coronavirus and the challenges it brings to brick-and-mortars.
After being closed for nearly a month as ordered by the state in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, a handful of businesses can reopen in a “minimum basic operations” capacity starting Friday, April 24, 2020.
Those entities are gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbers, cosmetologists, hair designers, nail care artists, estheticians, their respective schools, and massage therapists.
While these select businesses can resume operations starting tomorrow, the state’s shelter-in-place order is still active until 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2020.
After that date, new rules will be promulgated through Executive Order to “continue to limit social interaction while providing flexibility for business owners to maintain the value of their business,” according to a statement by the office of Governor Brian Kemp.
Restaurants and dining rooms of private social clubs will be allowed to reopen on a limited basis on Monday, April 27, 2020, subject to new restrictions that are set to be announced Thursday.
Theaters will also be permitted to engage in “minimum basic operations” beginning Monday.
Bars, nightclubs, amusement park ride operators, and live performance venues will remain closed through at least May 13, 2020, when the Public Health State of Emergency is set to expire.
Minimum Basic Operations, as outlined by the Governor’s office, are:
- The minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of a business, establishment, corporation, non-profit corporation, or organization; provide services; manage inventory; ensure security; process payroll and employee benefits; or for related functions, and such minimum necessary activities include remaining open to the public subject to the restrictions of this Order.
- The minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees or volunteers being able to work remotely from their residences or members or patrons being able to participate remotely from their residences.
- Instances where employees are working outdoors without regular contact with other persons, such as delivery services, contractors, landscape businesses, and agricultural industry services.
In addition to the Minimum Basic Operations restrictions, businesses must also adhere to the following:
- Screening and evaluating workers who exhibit signs of illness, such as a fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, or shortness of breath.
- Requiring workers who exhibit signs of illness to not report to work or to seek medical attention.
- Enhancing the sanitation of the workplace as appropriate.
- Requiring hand washing or sanitation by workers at appropriate places within the business location.
- Providing personal protective equipment as available and appropriate to the function and location of the worker within the business location.
- Prohibiting gatherings of workers during working hours.
- Permitting workers to take breaks and meals outside, in their office or personal workspace, or in such other areas where proper social distancing is attainable.
- Implementing teleworking for all possible workers.
- Implementing staggered shifts for all possible workers.
- Holding all meetings and conferences virtually, wherever possible.
- Delivering intangible services remotely wherever possible.
- Discouraging workers from using other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment.
- Prohibiting handshaking and other unnecessary person-to-person contact in the workplace.
- Placing notices that encourage hand hygiene at the entrance to the workplace and in other workplace areas where they are likely to be seen.
- Suspending the use of Personal Identification Number (“PIN”) pads, PIN entry devices, electronic signature capture, and any other credit card receipt signatur requirements to the extent such suspension is permitted by agreements with credit card companies and credit agencies.
- Enforcing social distancing of non-cohabitating persons while present on such entity’s leased or owned property.
- For retailers and service providers, providing for alternative points of sale outside of buildings, including curbside pickup or delivery of products and/or services if an alternative point of sale is permitted under Georgia law.
- Increasing physical space between workers and customers.
- Providing disinfectant and sanitation products for workers to clean their workspace, equipment, and tools.
- Increasing physical space between workers’ worksites to at least six (6) feet.
In addition to these guidelines, the Georgia Board of Cosmetology and Barbers has a separate set of requirements for salons and barbershops.
[Editor’s note: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly evolving as is its effect on Atlanta, and the City’s businesses and its residents. Click here for What Now Atlanta’s ongoing coverage of the crisis. For guidance and updates on the pandemic, please visit the C.D.C. website.]
21 Responses
Dude has been confused about C-19 from the beginning.
Once again this is not enforceable and leaves the options up to the individual businesses which is the way it should be. When Kemp is reckless and careless enough to contract Covid-19 like Mayor Bottoms then we can revisit this. She has no credibility as far as Covid-19 goes.
And you you know that is the case first hand?
Kemp was clueless about asymptomatic transmission, even when most of us got the memo months before he found out.
I totally understand that Kemp doesn’t want to make a state-wide commitment– because he has rural folks that probably don’t need to take as drastic measures. But the mayors should be able to do what’s necessary to keep their cities safe.
Our Mayor literally went to a press conference COVID-19 positive and took off her mask and spoke at length. How [expletive] stupid and reckless do you have to be to do that? She has zero credibility on this issue. Zilch.
Yet Trump’s rallies are without fault?
Not anymore at fault than the many protests and riots across the country. COVID-19 doesn’t know if you are at a grocery store or protest. It also doesn’t know if you are black, white, brown or any other color on the spectrum. Pretending otherwise is perfidious and deranged. Because of our Mayor’s careless actions she is the poster child of ignorance on this issue and should suffer the repercussions of such behavior.
Our president lies, and distorts the truth.
Social unrest and protests don’t wait for sunny days when everybody is healthy.
Personally I wouldn’t go to a rally, protest, or a restaurant right now.
That’s just me though…
The list of politicians that don’t lie, distort the truth, or exaggerate is very small. It’s why they are in politics and not sitting in a cubicle or working on an assembly line. Politicians who don’t do those things have either a very short shelf life or never get the chance because they lose. Lying is second nature to these individuals and that includes Mayor Bottoms and Brian Kemp. It speaks volumes for being as much of a dunce as he is even Kemp hasn’t contracted COVID-19. Acting like Bottoms is some sort of beacon of truth and transparency is laughable. She is abhorrently corrupt and inept.
We actually almost agree on something.
Have a great weekend– and wear your mask!
She is the worst mayor this city has ever had, and that is saying a lot. The governor has made a statement, it’s only “confusing guidance” and unenforceable. I won’t be closing my business and I suspect many others will follow, in fact every business should.
If you’re not a part of the solution, you might be a part of the problem.
Hopefully your business is following CDC recommendations.
What is your ‘business’ I’ll be sure to go elsewhere.
Bill Campbell is on line one and wants to speak to you.
That’s actually kinda funny Mark!
Tell us what your business is so that we can avoid it.
I’ll be glad to support your business! By the way, this might be helpful to post at the entrance
The governor needs to mind his own business and get his finger out of city politics. In normal times he shows total indifference / dis-interest in Atlanta … maybe he should try that again. I have NEVER been a fan of this mayor, but she is at least trying to take the right steps and follow medical guidance. She doesn’t deserve to be constantly undermined and undercut at every turn – it’s childish.
By going to a press conference and not wearing a mask while having Covid? Not even Kemp has done this. She exposed people to Covid in an extremely reckless manner. Why would anyone listen to her after such an egregious act?
Agree!
It’s easy to tell people close your businesses and don’t go to work… when you are still employed getting paid and giving orders! Whose going to pay our bills??
No, I don’t think that is an easy decision– furthermore, there have been many business owners that have pivoted and started thinking outside of the box. There have also been many financial-help
options offered to people/businesses.
This won’t be the last pandemic. Maybe our (the global community) haven’t made all the right
decisions around C-19, but hopefully we’ve learned a lot from it.
The Catholic Corporation got $1.4 BILLION in government assistance.
The Catholic Church is also closing 26 Catholic schools in NYC alone.
Disgusting, but maybe it will cut down on molestations.
My high school friend’s younger sister was having sex with a priest– he told her it would make her closer to god. Pretty much all of the students knew about it.
23 years later he was thrown out of the church because she came forward…