Shelter in place is over in Georgia, but some restrictions still remain in Columbus

Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday allowed Georgia’s shelter in place order to expire, lifting stay-at-home restrictions for most citizens, but extended the state’s public health emergency through June 12, requiring medically fragile and elderly individuals to stay at home.

In order to remain open, restaurants and other businesses can perform minimum basic operations through May 13 so long as they follow certain guidelines, according to Kemp’s April 30 order. Those guidelines include taking employee temperatures and screening them for symptoms of COVID-19, frequent sanitation of common surfaces, not allowing employees to gather in groups and limiting the number of customers in the store or dining area.

Certain industries, such as restaurants and dining, gyms and fitness centers and bowling alleys, have an additional list of guidelines they must follow.

Bars, nightclubs, public swimming pools, live performance venues and operators of amusement park rides remain closed until 11:59 p.m. May 13 unless extended.

Georgians are also encouraged to continue practice social distancing and limit their travel through mid-May. Large gatherings of more than 10 people are banned unless there is at least six feet between each person.

Kemp told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution that “if local officials want to enforce social distancing, they can cite violators of his executive orders.”

Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson announced Thursday that some Columbus Consolidated Government-owned facilities will continue to remain restricted.

General public access to all government buildings will be prohibited until 8 a.m. May 18, according to a press release. All city departments will remain open and provide services to citizens in a modified or nontraditional way.

All outdoor areas of city parks and park restrooms will remain open, provided that six foot social distancing is practiced.

All other facilities and recreational equipment within parks are closed through 8 a.m. May 18, including but not limited to tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, exercise stations, pavilions and playground equipment.

Henderson, as well as the governor’s office, also encourages citizens to continue social distancing and wear masks in public to places like the grocery store, picking up food at a restaurant or riding public or shared transportation.

Columbus citizens noticed in early April that the gates to many of the city’s public parks were gated off, despite no order from the city or state to close them to the public. Henderson said April 6 that local sheriff deputies had closed the gates to deter large gatherings of people and reinforce the idea that all citizens were being asked to stay home.

Those gates are expected to be opened Friday, according to Holli Browder, parks and recreation director.

During the shelter in place period, Browder said her department had received a few calls regarding the gated parks and cars parked alongside the road.

Golf courses will also open across the Chattahoochee Valley today, provided social distancing and certain other restrictions are followed.

Those include Bull Creek, Oxbow Creek and Godwin Creek courses in Columbus and Lakewood Golf Course in Phenix City.