Update from the Office of Governor Brian Kemp:

How long does Governor Kemp's Executive Order last?

Governor Kemp's Executive Order is effective starting at 6 PM on Friday, April 3, 2020 through 11:59 PM on Monday, April 13, 2020.

What businesses and professionals must cease in-person operations and close to the public during this time? 

• Bars
• Nightclubs
• Gyms
• Fitness centers
• Bowling allies
• Theaters
• Live performance venues
• Operators of amusement parks
• Dine in-services at restaurants and private social clubs

o Exceptions: Take-out; curbside pick-up; delivery; and dine-in services at hospitals, healthcare facilities, nursing homes, or other long-term care facilities

• Estheticians (e.g., waxing, threading, eyelash extensions, cosmetic treatments)
• Hair designers
• Body art studios (commonly known as tattoo parlors)
• Beauty shops and salons (including home beauty shops and salons)
• Barber shops (including home barber shops)
• Cosmetology schools
• Hair design schools
• Barbering schools
• Esthetics schools
• Nail care schools
• Licensed massage therapists

All other entities may continue to operate subject to specific restrictions. Those restrictions vary depending on whether your entity is Critical Infrastructure.

What is Critical Infrastructure?

Critical Infrastructure: For Critical Infrastructure entities, if your business or organization will continue in-person operations, the state encourages implementation of sixteen (16) requirements. The definition of Critical Infrastructure and the sixteen (16) recommendations are listed in Attachment A. 

Non-Critical Infrastructure: If your entity is not Critical Infrastructure, you shall follow the Social Distancing Rule, only engage in Minimum Basic Operations, and meet twenty (20) requirements. The Social Distancing Rule, Minimum Basic Operations, and the twenty (20) requirements are listed in Attachment B. 

How does the Order apply to individuals and families? 

Basic Rule: All residents and visitors of Georgia are required to shelter in place in their residences from 6 PM on Friday, April 3, 2020 to 11:59 PM on Monday, April 13, 2020. "Shelter in place" means remaining in their residences and taking every possible precaution to limit social interaction to prevent the spread or infection of COVID-19. 

Are there exceptions to the Basic Rule? 

Yes. A resident or visitor of Georgia is not required to shelter in place if they are:

1. Engaging in Essential Services
2. Working in Critical Infrastructure (see Attachment A)
3. Engaging in Minimum Basic Operations (see Attachment B)
4. Performing Necessary Travel

Essential Services means obtaining necessary supplies and services for your household, engaging in activities essential for the health and safety of your household, and engaging in outdoor exercise activities so long as you have at least six ( 6) feet between people who do not live in your household. 
You can go to the grocery store, medical appointments, and the pharmacy. You can go pick-up food or have food delivered to your house. You can leave your house to buy supplies to clean or maintain your house. You can go outside to exercise. You can also leave your house in an emergency. 
The key takeaway is that you need to stay in your house as much as possible, but we recognize there are circumstances when you will need to leave. Keep those circumstances rare, consolidate trips as much as possible, and use take-out, curbside pick-up, and delivery services whenever possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Necessary Travel means the travel required for someone to conduct or participate in Essential Services, Minimum Basic Operations, or work for Critical Infrastructure. 

How does this order apply to local governments? 

No county or municipal government is allowed to have more than ten (10) people gathered in a single location unless there is at least six (6) feet between each person at all times. The Governor's Order supersedes all local ordinances to the extent that they conflict and states that no local ordinance can be more restrictive or less restrictive. 
At this time, the Governor has not deputized local law enforcement to enforce the Order. State law enforcement with P.O.S.T. certification will be charged with enforcement. 

Attachment A 
Critical Infrastructure Entities 

Is my entity Critical Infrastructure?

Critical Infrastructure means a businesses, establishments, corporations, non-profit corporations, and organizations as defined by the U.S. Depa1tment of Homeland Security as "essential critical :infrastructure workforce," in guidance dated March 19, 2020, and revised on March 28, 2020, and those suppliers which provide essential goods and services for the critical :infrastructure workforce as well as entities that provide legal services, home hospice, and non-profit corporations or non-profit organizations that offer food distribution or other health or mental health services. The operation of Critical Infrastructure shall not be impeded by county, municipal, or local ordinance. 
Critical Infrastructure continuing to use in-person operations shall :implement measures which mitigate the exposure and spread of COVID-19 among its workforce. Such measures may include, but shall not be limited to: 

1. Screening and evaluating workers who exhibit signs of :illness, such as a fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, or sh01tness of breath;
2. Requiring workers who exhibit signs of :illness to not report to work or to seek medical attention;
3. Enhancing sanitation of the workplace as appropriate;
4. Requiring hand washing or sanitation by workers at appropriate places within the business location;
5. Providing personal protective equipment as available and appropriate to the function and location of the worker within the business location;
6. Prohibiting group gatherings of workers during working hours;
7. Permitting workers to take breaks and lunch outside, in their office or personal workspace, or in such other areas where proper social distancing is attainable;
8. Implementing teleworking for all possible workers;
9. Implementing staggered shifts for all possible workers;
10. Holding all meetings and conferences virtually, wherever possible;
11. Delivering :intangible services remotely wherever possible;
12. Discouraging workers from using other workers' phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment;
13. Providing disinfectant and sanitation products for workers to clean their workspace, equipment, and tools;
14. Prohibiting handshaking and other unnecessary person-to-person contact in the workplace; and
15. Placing notices that encourage hand hygiene at the entrance to the workplace and in other workplace areas where they are likely to be seen; and
16. Suspending the use of Personal Identification Number ("PIN") pads, PIN entry devices, electronic signature capture, and any other credit card receipt signature requirements to the extent such suspension is permitted by agreements with credit card companies and credit agencies.

Attachment B 
Non-Critical Infrastructure Entities 
Your non-Critical Infrastructure entity shall comply with the Social Distancing Rule, meet the definition of Minimum Basic Operations, and comply with twenty (20) requirements to continue to operate under Governor Kemp's executive order. 
Social Distancing Rule: No business, establishment, for-profit or non-profit corporation, organization, or county or municipal government is allowed to have more than ten (10) people gathering in a single location unless there is at least six (6) feet between each person at all times. 

Minimum Basic Operations are limited to: 

• 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. 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.

Twenty (20) Requirements: 

1. Screening and evaluating workers who exhibit signs of illness, such as a fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, or shortness of breath;
2. Requiring workers who exhibit signs of illness to not report to work or to seek medical attention;
3. Enhancing sanitation of the workplace as appropriate;
4. Requiring hand washing or sanitation by workers at appropriate places ·within the business location;
5. Providing personal protective equipment as available and appropriate to the function and location of the worker within the business location;
6. Prohibiting group gatherings of workers during working hours;
7. 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;
8. Implementing teleworking for all possible workers;
9. Implementing staggered shifts for all possible workers;
10. Holding all meetings and conferences virtually, wherever possible;
11. Delivering intangible services remotely wherever possible;
12. Discouraging workers from using other workers' phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment;

13. Prohibiting handshaking and other unnecessary person-to-person contact in the workplace;
14. Placing notices that encourage hand hygiene at the entrance to the workplace and in other workplace areas where they are likely to be seen;
15. Suspending the use of Personal Identification Number ("PIN") pads, PIN entry devices, electronic signature capture, and any other credit card receipt signature requirements to the extent such suspension is permitted by agreements with credit card companies and credit agencies;
16. Enforcing social distancing of non-cohabitating persons while present on such entity's leased or owned property;
17. 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;
18. Increasing physical space between workers and customers;
19. Providing disinfectant and sanitation products for workers to clean their workspace, equipment, and tools;
20. Increasing physical space between workers' worksites to at least six (6) feet.

Commonly Asked Questions 

1. Do I need a letter to prove that I can keep working?
No. You do not need a letter from your employer or the government to prove that you fall into one of the exceptions for Essential Services, Necessary Travel, Critical Infrastructure, or Minimum Basic Operations. 
If you have questions about Critical Infrastructure, please contact the Department of Economic Development. You can email covidcomments@georgia.org for assistance or visit georgia.org for more information. 

2. What happens if I violate the Governor's Executive Order?
If you violate any of the terms of the Order, you are committing a misdemeanor, which is a crime in the State of Georgia. For example, if you are not sheltering in place and none of the four exceptions for Essential Services, Minimum Basic Operations, Critical Infrastructure, or Necessary Travel applies to your activities, you will receive a warning from law enforcement and risk facing criminal charges if you fail to comply. 

3. What does this Order mean for church services and funeral services?
No business, establishment, for-profit or non-profit corporation, organization, or county or municipal government is allowed to have more than ten (10) people gathering in a single location unless there is at least six (6) feet between each person at all times. This rule applies to church services and funeral services. 
Unfortunately, several community outbreaks can be directly attributed to recent, in­person church services and funeral services. Public health officials strongly discourage gatherings of people for these services due to the high risk of transmission of novel coronavirus. For elderly Georgians and the chronically ill, exposure to novel coronavirus can be deadly. Please comply with the Governor's order to stop the spread of COVID-19. 

4. Can I go to state parks or play sports outside like golf?
Yes. You can visit state parks and play sports outside, including golf, subject to certain restrictions. Gatherings of more than ten (10) people are banned unless there is at least six (6) feet between each person at all times. If people congregate in certain areas of a state park or golf course, for example, law enforcement will warn them to disband. If they fail to comply, they may face criminal charges.

Read the Governor's Executive Order and the Statewide Shelter in Place Handout.