Governor Kemp held a press conference Wednesday, accompanied by DPH Director Kathleen Toomey and GEMA Director Homer Bryson, from inside the Georgia State Capitol.
Kemp began by thanking the Georgians who have followed the Shelter in Place order and stayed home, doing their work to help flatten the curve. “We’re continuing to make great progress,” while also thanking all those working on the front lines to care for those who are sick.
Kemp said he’s working with Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black to reaffirm support of Georgia’s oldest industry – farming. While farmers have are set to have good crops, the market is limited.
“I will continue to make the concerns known to our federal partners and ask them to keep our farmers at the top of their minds as they work for Phase 4 Stimulus Package,” Kemp said. Kemp asked Georgians to purchase Georgia-made and Georgia Grown products. “Every purchase matters.”
Kemp also praised the Georgia Department of Labor for processing unprecedented unemployment applications around the clock.
Governor Kemp highlighted a number of actions taken in the last week, to include:
- the Georgia National Guard has been deployed to long-term care facilities around the state to clean facilities
- 36 infection control teams, 67 facilities in the last 6 days. 7-10% of the state’s nursing homes each day.
- Once we reach 100% of the facilities, “the General will start over again.”
- increased resources allocated to mitigate resources at long-term facilities and hospice facilities
- mandating more aggressive in long-term facilities, including requiring that:
- Facilities must adopt infectious disease transfer protocols with area hospitals
- Visitors are strictly prohibited except in compassionate care situations
- Group activities must be canceled for all residents, in-room dining only
- Employees must wash hands after interaction with resident
- Screen employees and residents for fever and respiratory distress
- Employees showing symptoms or exposed must self-quarantine for 14 days
- Utilize hospital-grade cleaning products
- National Guard & DPH will issue additional directives to facilities
Kemp will take additional executive action to:
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- Activate additional 1,000 Georgia National Guard members
- Extend the Shelter in Place Order through April 30, 2020
- Suspend statewide short-term rentals (residential rentals used for vacations for 30 days or less) through Thursday April 30th
- does not include hotels, motels, and campgrounds
- does not include vacation rentals fully-paid and executed before 12AM on April 9, 2020
- does not include those rentals being used as a primary residence
This story is developing.
Colleen Morris
April 8, 2020 at 4:34 pm
What about residents of Georgia who’ve returned from overseas, such as trips to Peru who have lots of the virus there. They return and totally ignore the self quarantine for 2 weeks. Even returning to work . Going out in public with no regard fo other people. I’ve called the health dept yet am told it’s a recommendation??? How is that possible. How do we know they’re not carrying the virus? The children, adults come and go. It makes me ill that they well could be carriers yet are around ppl…
Ethan Engelbrecht
April 8, 2020 at 4:57 pm
Am I allowed to pick up my girlfriend from Alabama?
Ethan
April 8, 2020 at 5:01 pm
Am I allowed to pick up my girlfriend? I haven’t seen her in almost two months and they extended the order and I don’t want to wait even longer to see her. Its hard to talk to her because she has to use her neighbors wifi and I really want to be by her side through all of this. What im truly asking is, if I go to get her, will I be stopped by the law and asked for a certificate?
Rick
April 9, 2020 at 7:57 am
Take matters in hand fellow…your girlfriend will be there when this is over. If she isn’t then nothing lost nothing gained.