Just hours after Gov. Brian Kemp declined to issue a statewide
shelter-in-place order, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued
her own 14-day “Stay at Home” order for the city in an effort
to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
As of now, the order does not include essential businesses
(scroll to section 6 at bottom of this post), parks, the Atlanta
BeltLine or restaurants serving takeout, according to a post on
Twitter. The
“Stay at Home” mandate goes into effect at midnight and lasts
until April 7.
“I appreciate the leadership of Governor Brian Kemp during
this crisis and his concern for the wellbeing of the people across
Georgia,” said Mayor Bottoms in a statement. “While Governor
Kemp has to consider the needs of the state as a whole, as Mayor of
Atlanta, I have been entrusted with making decisions that are
specific to our city. Given our population density, high rate of
asthma, and various underlying health conditions found within our
city’s populations, I am issuing a Stay at Home Order for
Atlantans.”
“Until we flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections, the City
must exercise every reasonable power to slow the spread of this
virus,” Bottoms said. “Across the globe we are seeing a growing
sense of urgency, and we must all make some sacrifices to break the
chain of infections and avert a worst-case scenario.”
Today’s action orders those within the territorial limits of
Atlanta to stay in their place of residence and encourages those
sharing residential spaces to maintain social distancing of at
least six feet.
The order requires Atlantans to remain in their homes throughout
the day. Individuals may leave their place of residence only for
essential activities, essential governmental functions or to
operate essential businesses.
The restrictions and exemptions are as follows:
SECTION 1. It is my opinion that there
exists an extreme likelihood of destruction of life or property
within the territorial jurisdictional limits of the City of Atlanta
due to the unusual condition of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and in
accordance with Section 2-181(a) of the City of Atlanta Code of
Ordinances, I hereby declare there to be an emergency in existence
within the territorial jurisdictional limits of the City of
Atlanta.
SECTION 2. In accordance with this emergency
declaration, I am exercising my emergency powers in accordance with
Section 2-181(b) of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances to order
that all individuals living in the territorial jurisdictional
limits of the City of Atlanta are directed to stay at their place
of residence; to permit persons subject to this order to leave
their places of residence to provide or receive certain essential
services or engage in certain essential activities and work for
essential business and government services; to exempt individuals
experiencing homelessness from this order but urging them to find
shelter and government agencies and non-profit service providers to
provide it; directing all businesses to cease non-essential
operations at physical locations within the City of Atlanta;
prohibiting all non-essential gatherings of any number of
individuals.
SECTION 3. Pursuant to this order all individuals
currently living within the territorial jurisdictional limits of
the City of Atlanta are ordered to stay at their place of
residence. To the extent individuals are using shared or outdoor
spaces, they must at all times as reasonably possible maintain
social distancing of at least six feet from any other person when
they are outside their residence. All persons may leave their
residences only for Essential Activities, Essential Governmental
Functions, or to operate Essential Businesses, all as defined
herein. Individuals experiencing homelessness are exempt from this
Order, but are strongly urged to obtain shelter, and governmental
and other entities are strongly urged to make such shelter
available as soon as possible and to the maximum extent practicable
(and to use COVID-19 risk mitigation practices in their
operation).
SECTION 4. All businesses with a facility in the
territorial jurisdictional limits of the City of Atlanta, except
Essential Businesses as defined herein, are required to cease all
activities at facilities located therein except Minimum Basic
Operations, as defined herein. For clarity, businesses may also
continue operations consisting exclusively of employees or
contractors performing activities at their own residences (i.e.,
working from home). All Essential Businesses are strongly
encouraged to remain open. To the greatest extent feasible,
Essential Businesses shall comply with Social Distancing
Requirements as defined herein, including by maintaining six-foot
social distancing for both employees and members of the public,
including, but not limited to, when any customers are standing in
line.
SECTION 5. All public and private
gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single
household or living unit are prohibited, except for the limited
purposes as expressly permitted herein.
Nothing in this Order prohibits the gathering of members of a
household or living unit.
SECTION 6. Definitions and
Exemptions.
(a) For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their
residence only to perform any of the following “Essential
Activities.” But people at high risk of severe illness from
COVID-19 and people who are sick are urged to stay in their
residence to the extent possible except as necessary to seek
medical care.
i. To engage in activities or perform tasks essential to their
health and safety, or to the health and safety of their family or
household members (including, but not limited to, pets), such as,
by way of example only and without limitation, obtaining medical
supplies or medication, visiting a health care professional, or
obtaining supplies they need to work from home.
ii. To obtain necessary services or supplies for themselves and
their family or household members, or to deliver those services or
supplies to others, such as, by way of example only and without
limitation, canned food, dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables,
pet supply, fresh meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household
consumer products, and products necessary to maintain the safety,
sanitation, and essential operation of residences.
iii. To engage in outdoor activity, provided the individuals
comply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in this
Section, such as, by way of example and without limitation,
walking, hiking, or running.
iv. To perform work providing essential products and services at
an Essential Business or to otherwise carry out activities
specifically permitted in this Order, including Minimum Basic
Operations.
v. To care for a family member or pet in another household.
(b) For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their
residence to work for or obtain services at any “Healthcare
Operations” including hospitals, clinics, dentists, pharmacies,
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, other healthcare
facilities, healthcare suppliers, home healthcare services
providers, mental health providers, or any related and/or ancillary
healthcare services. “Healthcare Operations” also includes
veterinary care and all healthcare services provided to animals.
This exemption shall be construed broadly to avoid any impacts to
the delivery of healthcare, broadly defined. “Healthcare
Operations” does not include fitness and exercise gyms and
similar facilities.
(c) For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their
residence to provide any services or perform any work necessary to
the operations and maintenance of “Essential Infrastructure,”
including, but not limited to public works construction, airport
operations, utility, water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining,
roads and highways, railroads, public transportation,
taxi/rideshare, solid waste collection and removal, internet, and
telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential
global, national, and local infrastructure for computing services,
business infrastructure, communications, and web-based services),
provided that they carry out those services or that work in
compliance with Social Distancing Requirements as defined herein,
to the extent possible.
(d) For purposes of this Order, all first responders, emergency
management personnel, emergency dispatchers, court personnel, and
law enforcement personnel, and others working for or to support
Essential Businesses are categorically exempt from this Order.
Further, nothing in this Order shall prohibit any individual from
performing or accessing “Essential Governmental Functions.”
Essential Government Functions means all services needed to
ensure the continuing operation of the government agencies and
provide for the health, safety and welfare of the public. All
Essential Governmental Functions shall be performed in compliance
with Social Distancing Requirements as defined this Section, to the
extent possible.
(e) For the purposes of this Order, covered businesses include
any for-profit, non-profit, or educational entities, regardless of
the nature of the service, the function they perform, or its
corporate or entity structure.
(f) For the purposes of this Order, “Essential Businesses”
means:
1. Healthcare Operations and Essential Infrastructure;
2. Grocery stores, farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands,
supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other
establishments engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry
goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, pet supply, fresh meats, fish,
and poultry, and any other household consumer products (such as
cleaning and personal care products). This includes stores that
sell groceries and also sell other non-grocery products, and
products necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and
essential operation of residences;
3. Food cultivation, including farming, livestock, and
fishing;
4. Businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services,
and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or
otherwise needy individuals;
5. Newspapers, television, radio, and other media services;
6. Gas stations and auto-supply, auto-repair, and related
facilities;
7. Banks and related financial institutions;
8. Hardware stores; lodging businesses (e.g., hotels, motels,
conference centers);
9. Plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service
providers who provide services that are necessary to maintaining
the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences,
Essential Activities, and Essential Businesses;
10. Businesses providing mailing and shipping services,
including post office boxes;
11. Educational institutions—including public and private K-12
schools, colleges, and universities—for purposes of facilitating
distance learning or performing essential functions, provided that
social distancing of six-feet per person is maintained to the
greatest extent possible;
12. Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service
providers;
13. Restaurants and other facilities that prepare and serve
food, but only for delivery or carry out. Schools and other
entities that typically provide food services to students or
members of the public may continue to do so under this Order on the
condition that the food is provided to students or members of the
public on a pick-up and takeaway basis only. Schools and other
entities that provide food services under this exemption shall not
permit the food to be eaten at the site where it is provided, or at
any other gathering site. Cafeterias in hospitals, nursing homes,
or similar facilities shall not be subject to the restrictions
contained in this order.
14. Businesses that supply products needed for people to work
from home;
15. Businesses that supply other essential businesses with the
support or supplies necessary to operate;
16. Businesses that ship or deliver groceries, food, goods or
services directly to residences;
17. Home-based care for seniors, adults, or children;
18. Residential facilities and shelters for seniors, adults, and
children;
19. Professional services, such as legal or accounting
services;
20. Childcare facilities; and
21. Utility, water, sewer, gas, electrical, oil refining, roads
and highways, railroads, public transportation, taxi/rideshare,
solid waste collection and removal, internet, and
telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential
global, national, and local infrastructure for computing services,
business infrastructure, communications, and web-based
services).
(g) For the purposes of this Order, “Minimum Basic
Operations” include the following, provided that employees comply
with Social Distancing Requirements as defined this Section, to the
extent possible, while carrying out such operations:
1. The minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the
business’s inventory, ensure security, process payroll and
employee benefits, or for related functions.
2. The minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees of
the business being able to continue to work remotely from their
residences.
SECTION 7. This order shall be effective
on March 24th at midnight and is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable
at law or in equity by any party against the City of Atlanta, its
departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or
agents, or any other person.
You can view the executive order online here.
The post
BREAKING: Mayor issues 14-day “Stay at Home” executive order to
combat coronavirus appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
