Gov. Kemp lifts more Covid restrictions in Georgia

ATLANTA (WDEF) – Georgia Governor Brian Kemp issued a new executive order on Friday lifting more Covid-19 restrictions in the state.

Beginning Monday, the order eliminates rules for restaurants, bars, conventions, chldcare facilities, live performance venues and other organizations.

The state had previously lifted regulations for camps and sporting events.

This means the only organizations that still face some restrictions are long-term care facilities, schools and school districts.

Yesterday, the Governor reported that Georgia had it’s lowest number of Covid-19 hospitalizations since the pandemic began.

“As hospitalizations, cases, deaths, and percent positive tests all continue to decline – and with vaccinations on the rise – Georgians deserve to fully return to normal,” said Governor Kemp.

“With safe and effective vaccines widely available and the public well-aware of all COVID-19 mitigation measures, mandates from state and local governments are no longer needed.”

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ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says public schools no longer have his permission to require masks, though his latest executive order falls short of banning such mandates outright. The Republican governor’s executive order Friday came two days after a Fox News Channel appearance in which Kemp declared: “We’re not going to have a mask mandate for our kids.” The actual order isn’t so strongly worded. It says Georgia school districts can no longer cite Kemp’s declaration of a public health emergency as giving them authority to require wearing masks. It’s unclear how many Georgia districts ever required masks.