Georgia Governor Weighs 'New Options' After Facing Coronavirus Backlash

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Time



BY RUSS BYNUM / AP APRIL 7, 2020

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Georgia’s governor is “considering new options” after being criticized by local officials for his order that reversed beach closures and other restrictions imposed by cities and counties to battle the coronavirus, the governor’s spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive order last week requiring Georgia residents to shelter at home, except under prescribed exceptions, drew an outcry. Some city and county leaders said a provision rolled back any tougher restrictions already imposed by local governments. Those nullified restrictions included local decisions to close public beaches on the 100-mile (160 kilometer) Georgia coast.

Tybee Island Mayor Shirley Sessions over the weekend blasted Kemp’s action as a “reckless mandate” that encouraged tourism as infections and deaths keep rising in Georgia. In Glynn County, where the state had reopened the beach on St. Simons Island, elected county Chairman Michael Browning sent Kemp a letter Monday saying: “This is the time to be tightening restrictions that combat the spread of this disease, not loosening them.”

After a Georgia Mayor Closed Beaches to Stop Crowds, the Governor Reopened Them
A small coastal city in Georgia that thrives on tourism closed its beach, fearing carefree crowds of teenagers and college students posed too great a risk for spreading the new coronavirus.

. . .

Since Kemp’s order took effect Friday, Georgia state troopers and officers from the state Department of Natural Resources have patrolled beaches to enforce social distancing requirements. In addition, people have been prohibited from bringing lounge chairs, umbrellas, and other gear to the beaches, which Kemp has said were opened for fresh air and exercise.


Read more: https://time.com/5817139/georgia-governor-coronavirus-backlash/?xid=homepage

[cstanleytech]

1. Kemp (much like other Republicans in this state) is a fucking moron. nt

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

22. Using the words "Republican" and "moron" in the same sentence is redundant.

[dchill]

2. Hmm.

Maybe he should ask somebody smarter - like Stacey Abrams - what to do.

[iluvtennis]

11. good one :-). nt

[crickets]

13. +1

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. Kemp pulled a political fast one to appease wealthy coastal landlords....

to buy Republican votes, IMO. Those rich landlords were seeing their rental and lease revenues drop like a rock and started squalling.

That's the way the GOP rolls.......

Oh, and Georgia now reports 9100 cases of COVID-19.

[ancianita]

4. And at this point his state's # 6 in death count.

[ProfessorGAC]

15. That's Bad, But...

...Georgia is the 8th most populated state. NY is 4th in population but 1st in CV19 deaths.
So, they may be pretty much in line with the overall population.
That said, it's the largest area state east of the Mississippi. So, their population density is lower.
It's too soon to make a cogent correlation, I guess.

[ancianita]

17. GA's population density speaks to cv's yet untested spread. They haven't reached their death peak.

Yep, too soon. Correlations won't be cogent for the rest of the year, probably.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. Pretty Tough In Illinois

Right now. 82 deaths since yesterday. 462 total out of 16,000+ cases.
It appears were peaks ng, but...
It's starting to more aggressive in central & southern IL
Way lower population density, way lower external traffic but it's starting to go up down there more than a little.

[ancianita]

19. Yes, it is. Better than some, worse than most. Hope you're coping well enough there.

[ProfessorGAC]

20. We're Ok

Being cautious

[ancianita]

21. It's all you can do.

[oldsoftie]

10. Opening the beaches doesnt really help any landlords. Nothing ELSE is open.

[Thekaspervote]

5. Best tweet about partially closed states ..it's like having a pee section in a swimming pool

[ancianita]

6. Yep. Rachel used that analogy the other night.

[lagomorph777]

8. Yup - and the "smoking section" on a plane.

For those too young to remember: it used to be legal to smoke in the back of the plane. It made travel a living hell for non-smokers.

[tavernier]

12. Yeah, but it sure was fun for us smokers!

What? Too soon?

[lagomorph777]

14. After the last 2nd-hand smoke victim dies of cancer, then it will be not too soon.

[beachbumbob]

7. I wonder if the surge in virus deaths in Georgia is having an impact?

[lagomorph777]

9. Sure - the mortician lobby is thrilled.

They're sending big donations to the GOP.

[SWBTATTReg]

16. They say a fool is born every minute, but with republicans, I think it's even worse. Every ...

second of every day there's a new idiot somewhere in republican land. What do they all do? Take lessons on being the class idiot? I know that they have a good role model w/ rump, but still...again, proving all that they are concerned with, is money, not lives.