[ September 16, 2020 ] On September 15, 2020, Governor Brian P. Kemp signed Executive Order 09.15.20.01, extending current COVID-19 restrictions and issuing guidance for long-term care facility visitation. The new Executive Order takes effect on September 16 at 12:00 AM and runs through September 30 at 11:59 PM.

Under Executive Order 09.15.20, there are no changes to the mandatory restrictions in place for the operation of businesses, including food establishments, bars, cinemas, bowling alleys, salons, barbers, cosmetologists, amusement parks, live performance and event venues, childcare facilities, etc. The local option for requiring face coverings, subject to specific criteria, remains in place.

The shelter in place provisions for people who live in long-term care facilities and the medically fragile remain in place. The Order also continues to include a large gathering ban of fifty (50) persons unless social distancing is maintained.

The Order adds new language to clearly authorize community and state ombudsmen to perform inspections at long-term care facilities and - subject to specific criteria and restrictions outlined by the Department of Public Health - allow long-term care facilities to conduct in-person visitation in accordance with the DPH Administrative Order titled "Long-Term Care Facilities Reopening Guidance (PDF download)."

Outdoor visitation is only recommended for facilities that meet all criteria for Phase 2 or Phase 3

Phase I is designed for vigilant infection control during periods of heighted virus spread in the local community and potential for healthcare system limitations.

Phase II upon alignment with all of the following:
? Baseline testing of residents and direct care staff has been conducted (see Section 4.0)
? 28 days since last confirmed or suspected case resolved.
? No outbreak in the facility (e.g., norovirus, influenza, C. difficile, etc.).
? 14-day COVID-19 county case rate 50-99/100,000
AND
? 14-day COVID-19 county positivity rate <10%

Phase III upon alignment with all of the following:
? 28 days since last COVID-19 confirmed or suspected case identified. In addition, the facility should not have an outbreak in the facility (e.g. norovirus, influenza, C. difficile, etc.)
? 14-day COVID-19 county case rate <50/100,000
AND
? 14-day COVID-19 county positivity rate <5%



😷 FACE COVERINGS
That pursuant to Code Section 38-3-28, other than orders issued pursuant to the authority of Code Section 38-3-60 et seq., any state, county, or municipal law, order, ordinance, rule, or regulation that requires persons to wear face coverings, masks, face shields, or any other Personal Protective Equipment while in places of public accommodation or on public prope1ty are suspended to the extent that they are more restrictive than this Executive Order or any such law, order, ordinance, rule, or regulation expressly permitted by this Executive Order.

That municipalities, counties, and other governmental entities located in counties that have reached the Threshold Requirement are hereby permitted to impose a Local Option Face Covering Requirement; however, local governmental entities are not required to impose a Local Option Face Covering Requirement even if the Threshold Requirement is reached.

If a local government entity meets the Threshold Requirement and chooses to impose a Local Option Face Covering Requirement, such Local Option Face Covering Requirement must comply v.ith the following:
1. The Local Option Face Covering Requirement shall not be applied to individuals who are eating or drinking, those who have difficulty donning or removing a face mask or face covering without assistance, those who have a bona fide religious objection to wearing a face mask or face covering, or those who have a bona fide medical reason not to wear a face mask or face covering;
2r The Local Option Face Covering Requirement shall not give rise to any fines, fees, penalties (criminal or othen,ise) or other cause of action against any private business, establishment, corporation, non-profit corporation, or organization; 3. The Local Option Face Covering Requirement shall not give rise to any fines, fees, or penalties in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00) against any person per offense, nor shall it be punishable by imprisonment for any term;
4. Enforcement measures may only be taken against individuals. Owners, directors, officers, or agents of any business, establishment, corporation, non-profit corporation, or organization may not be held liable for the failure of their customers to comply with any Local Option Face Covering Requirement;
5. The Local Option Face Covering Requirement shall not be enforced at any Polling Place, as defined under Code Section
21- 2-2(27), and no individual shall be denied ingress or egress to or from a Polling Place for failure to wear a face covering or face mask;
6. The Local Option Face Covering Requirement cannot be enforced against individuals on residential property; and
7. The Local Option Face Covering Requirement may be enforced against individuals on private property where the owner or occupant of the property consents to enforcement. Businesses, establishments, corporations, non-profit corporations, and organizations may be required to post reasonable public notice of a Local Option Face Covering Requirement and state whether such business, establishment, corporation, non-profit corporation, or organization consents to enforcement or does not consent to enforcement of such requirement on its property.

Read the Governor's Executive Order here. (PDF download)

DPH COVID-19 Trends in Georgia
? From 9/7 to 9/14, the seven-day average of new cases reported decreased 11.3%.
? The seven-day average of new cases reported is down 54% from our peak July 24.
? As of Sept. 14, the state reported more than 2.6 million COVID-19 tests.
? DPH is operating 180+ SPOCs, including mobile and pop-up locations statewide.
? The number of specimens collected at DPH SPOCs is nearly 980,000.
? The statewide positivity rate (7-day moving average) for PCR testing has decreased from 8.9% on 8/31/20 to 8.1% on 9/7/20 to 7.7% on 9/14/20. Despite overall testing numbers decreasing statewide, the positivity rate also continues to decrease.
? Daily hospitalizations for COVID-19 have decreased from 1,659 on Sept. 7 to 1,533 on Sept.14, or a decrease of 7.6% in the past week. Hospitalizations have decreased 52% since a daily high reported July 30 of 3,200.
? Emergency Department (ED) visits related to COVID-19 and ILI (influenza-like illness) have remained flat over the past two weeks (Aug. 29 ? Sept. 11)

GEORGIA
Confirmed Cases 302,737
Deaths 6,537
Hospitalizations 27,203
ICU Admissions 4,966

PICKENS
Confirmed Cases 592
Deaths 10
Hospitalizations 55

Georgia DHP COVID-19 Daily Report