Georgia stay-at-home order rolls back local restrictions

ATLANTA (AP) — A statewide stay-at-home order from Georgia’s governor that went into effect Friday actually loosens some restrictions local officials had already put in place.

Gov. Brian Kemp had earlier refused to implement a statewide stay-at-home order and instead left the decision to local officials.

That led to a patchwork of local orders and restrictions that sprang up from counties and cities across the state.

But Kemp’s stay-at-home order now supersedes those local orders.

That includes reopening many parks and beaches that local governments had ordered closed after seeing large gatherings of people.

At least 198 people in Georgia have died from the virus.