"Governor Kemp Issues New COVID-19 Guidance Executive Order"

APRIL 30, 2021

Key provisions of the new executive order:

1. Modifies the social distancing and sanitation requirements for residents and visitors to “strongly encouraged.”

2. Eliminates the restaurant and bar table distancing requirements and workers mask requirement.

3. Eliminates all specific requirements for gyms and fitness centers, movie theaters, body art studios, estheticians, hair stylists, and massage therapists.

4. Reduces the requirements for Conventions.

5. Eliminates the requirement that childcare facilities prohibit all unnecessary visitors.

6. Provides that Live Performance Venues, regardless of seating capacity, are only required to follow the guidelines for all Organizations, and such venues may implement additional measures in conjunction with the performer or organizer of an event.

7. Maintains that professional, collegiate, and high school sports organizations and events shall operate pursuant to the rules or guidelines issued by their respective league, conference, or association.

8. Clarifies that graduation ceremonies are only required to follow the guidelines for all Organizations.

Providing additional guidance for Empowering a Healthy Georgia 
in response to COVID-19

That unless otherwise note, the provisions in this order shall be effective from May 1, 2021 at 12:00 A.M. until May 30, 2021 at 11:59 P.M.

GFDA encourages you to review and follow all guidance contained in the Executive Order, from the Georgia Department of Public Health, and from the Centers for Disease Contol and Prevention (CDC) for measures your business should take to mitigate the exposure and spread of COVID-19 among your workforce and families you serve.

IV. Industry, Commerce, & Organizations

That all "organizations" that continue in-person operations during the effective dates of this Order shall implement measure which mitigate the exposure and spread of COVID-19 among its workforce. Such measures may include the following:

1. Any measures that have been proven effective to controls the spread of COVID-19;
2. Screening and evaluating workers who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19;
3. Requiring workers who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 to not report to work or to seek medical attention;
4. Positng signage at the entrances to the facility stating that individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19, or had contact with a person that has or is suspected to have COVID-19 within the past fourteen (14) days and have not completed the post-exposure quarantine protocol shall not enter the facility;
5. Enhancing sanitation as appropriate;
6. Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces regularly, including but not limited to PIN entry devices, signature pads, and other point of sale equipment, door handles, and light switches;
7. Increasing space between workers' worksites to maintain social distancing;
8. Permitting workers to take breaks and meals outside, in their office or personal workspace, or in such other areas where proper social distancing is attainable;
9. If the organization engages volunteers or has members of the public participate in activities, prohibiting volunteering or participation in activities for persons diagnosed with COVID-19, have exhibited symptoms of COVID-19, or having had contact with a person that has or is suspected to have COVID19 within the past fourteen (14) days and having not yet completed the post-exposure quarantine protocol;
10. Ensuring ventilation systems to operate properly and increasing circulation and purification of air within facilities as practicable;
11. If the organization provides childcare services, complying with the regulations for "Childcare Facilities" included in Section VI of the order titled "Education & Children;" and
12. Any food service areas within an organization's facility must adhere to the guidelines set forth in Section III of this order titled "Restaurants & Bars."

All residents and visitors of the State of Georgia are strongly encouraged to:

• Practice Social Distancing. 
• Wear face coverings as practicable while outside their homes or place of residence, except when eating, drinking or excercising outdoors. 
• Pracitice sanitation in accordance with the guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

II. Definitions

• (Item 3) "Fully Vaccinated" shall mean for any person that tow (2) or more weeks have passed since said person's receipt of one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine or receipt of the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series.
• (Item 5) "Local Option Face Covering Requirement" shall mean a requirement imposed by a municipal, county, or other government entity that individual wear face masks or face covering when not able to maintain Social Distancing from non-cohabitating person that is permitted by the terms of this Executive Order.
• (Item 7) "Organization" shall mean any business, establishment, corporation, non-profit corporation, organization, convention, event or other entity.
• (Item 9) "Post-Exposure Quarantine Protocol" shall mean that in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Georgia Department of Public Health guidelines, any person who has had close contact (sic (6) feet or closer for a cumulative total of fifteen (15) minutes or more with a person that has or is suspected to have COVID-19 within the past fourteen (14) days is required to either:
• Quarantine at their home or place of residence for fourteen (14) days form the date of most recent exposure;
• Quarantine at their home or place of residence for at least ten (10) days from the date of most recent exposure, then practice extreme diligence in monitoring for Symptoms of COVID-19, wearing a face covering, and social distancing until fourteen (14) days have passed since the date of most recent exposure; or
• Quarantine at their home or place of residence for at least seven (7) days from the date of most recent exposure if a COVID-19 test was taken no earlier than day five (5) of quarantine and a negative result is received, then practice extreme diligence in monitoring for Symptoms of COVID-19, wearing a face covering, and social distancing until fourteen (14) days have passed since the date of most recent exposure.
• If the exposed person has:
• Been fully vaccinated; or
• Recovered from illndess due to laboratory confirmed COVD-19 infection, has already met criteria to end isolation, and is within ninety (90) days following the onset of symptoms of the initial laboratory confirmed COVID-19 infection or ninety (90) days of the first positive COVID-19 test result if they were asymptomatic during the initial infection;
  
  the person shall not be required to quarantine but shall actively monitor for Symptoms of COVID-19.If at any time during the Post-Exposure Quarantine Protocol time period a person experiences Symptoms of COVID-19, that person shall seek a COVID-19 test, isolate until test results are received, and proceed in accordance with the test results and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Georgia Department of Public Health guidelines.

• (Item 11) “Social Distancing” shall mean keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home or place of residence. Persons practicing Social Distancing should stay at least six (6) feet from other people, avoid assembling in groups, avoid crowded places, and avoid large crowds. This provision shall not apply to cohabitating persons, family units, or roommates residing together in private homes, whether inside or outside of their homes or place of residence.
• (Item 12) "Symptoms of COVID-19" shall mean symptoms identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as symptoms of COVID-19 and shall include at least the following: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle of body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; and diarrhea.
• (Item 13) "Threshold Requirement" shall mean the prevalence in a county of confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the previous fourteen (14) days is equal to or greater than one hundred (100) cases per one hundred thousand (100,000) people according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. For more information about this review pages 22-23.

Renewing the Public Health State of Emergency 
in response to COVID-19

It is ordered that the Public Health State of Emergency shall terminate on
Sunday, May 31, 2021, at 11:59 PM, unless it is renewed by the Governor.