Georgia, Tennessee, SC governors plan to reopen businesses as early as next week

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina governors on Monday afternoon provided fresh plans for reopening their state economies in full scale amid signs of COVID-19 slowdown.
• President Donald Trump had a call discussion with several governors last weekend to align on how to successfully reopen the states.
• Health experts advised that COVID-19 cases could spike if businesses will be allowed to reopen too quickly.

On Monday afternoon, state governors of Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina issued new plans of reopening their respective economies in full scale in light of the signs of pandemic slow down.

Beginning this Friday, certain businesses which include gyms and hair salons can reopen per Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

In Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee concluded that his stay-at-home order would last until April 30.

Meanwhile, Governor Henry McMaster of South Carolina said that department stores, flea markets, florists, bookstores and music shops — which previously deemed peripheral — could resume operation.

“These businesses will open according to specific guidance that we will provide in accordance with state and national experts in both medicine and business,” Lee said in a statement. 

“Social distancing works, and as we open up our economy it will be more important than ever that we keep social distancing as lives and livelihoods depend on it.”

Georgia will expand virus testing and hospitals could continue elective surgeries once they get hold of essential protective personal equipment, Kemp said Monday.

The governor also said that movie theaters and restaurants in Georgia will be allowed to open on April 27, while bars, amusement parks and nightclubs shall remain close until further notice.

The announcements came as states were pressured to wind down social-distancing guidelines and restart the struggling economy.

Across the country, dozens of protests were held in front of state capitols and governors’ mansions as the protesters were calling for the termination of the stringent measures imposed to curb COVID-19 cases.

Last week, President Donald Trump presented a plan for reopening the economy in varying aspects depending on the severity of the pandemic in each area.

During a White House news briefing, Trump said, “We can begin the next front in our war, which we are calling ‘Opening Up America Again’… To preserve the health of Americans, we must preserve the health of our economy.”

Over the weekend, the president had a call discussion with several governors on how to successfully reopen the states.

Based on the WYFF-TV report, McMaster’s executive order stated that stores in South Carolina are permitted to open at 5pm on Monday, but people should continue to comply to social distancing guidelines. Beaches can reopen on Tuesday while there was no mandate about school resumption.

Health experts advised that COVID-19 cases could surge if businesses will be allowed to reopen too soon.

Source: Fox News