No mandatory masks or new restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise in Georgia, Kemp says
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters Friday he doesn’t plan to mandate the use of masks or impose new coronavirus restrictions hours before the state reported the largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases to date.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Kemp made the comments during a media event outside of a coronavirus testing facility in Gwinnett County, which has the largest number of confirmed cases in the state. The comments mirror remarks Kemp made while visiting facilities in Columbus and Macon in late May.
“I’m certainly not imposing new restrictions right now. I think what we have on the books has done very well for us,” he told the AJC. “We’re not letting our guard down. ...We’ve got to continue to fight the fight hard every day. We’ve got to continue to jump on the hotspots.”
‘A bridge too far’
Kemp said mandating masks was a “bridge too far for me right now” though the governor and state health officials have encouraged Georgians to wear face coverings. He said he was concerned there was no widespread “public buy-in” for a mask-wearing requirement.
“There’s some people that just do not want to wear a mask. I’m sensitive to that from a political environment of having people buy into that, and creating other issues out there,” he said. “But it’s definitely a good idea.”
Increasing cases
Georgia has reported 72,995 confirmed cases and 2,770 deaths as of June 26. The state health department reported 1,900 new cases Friday. The seven-day average for newly reported cases is 1,569.43 per day, according to data analyzed by McClatchy. This reflects when cases are reported to the state health department.
Some of the largest increases in cases have come in the southern and western portions of the state. Columbus’ Muscogee County has seen its number of confirmed cases more than double since June 4. As of Friday, 1,454 COVID-19 cases were confirmed, according to data analyzed by McClatchy.
People between the ages of 18 and 29 account for roughly 20% of the state’s total coronavirus cases, and the AJC reports it is the largest and fastest-growing group for new infections. Kemp told the AJC there doesn’t appear to be a link between the spread of the disease and statewide protests over racial inequity and police brutality. But the governor said he was concerned by the trend.
“The summer has approached. More people are getting out. That’s certainly created an uptick in cases, not only in Georgia but around the country,” he said. “The younger population are starting to realize that they’ve got to be careful, too.”
No plans to halt reopening
Current hospitalizations continue to rise statewide. As of Friday, 1,184 Georgians were currently hospitalized with COVID-19 — the highest total reported since May 8, according to data from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency.
Several other Southern states such as Texas, Louisiana and North Carolina have paused or slowed their reopenings due to case increases. But Georgia was among the first states to reopen, and recent orders from Kemp eased more of the state’s coronavirus restrictions by increasing the number of people allowed at gatherings, allowing conventions to occur beyond July 1 if organizers meet certain guidelines and ending a shelter in place order for a large portion of the state’s elderly residents.
Kemp’s latest order states local ordinances can’t be more or less restrictive, but portions of his order are set to expire June 30.
“We’ve asked our citizens to be part of the solution and not part of the problem,” Kemp told the AJC. “It’s a virus. It’s going to spread. We’re not going to stop it from happening. We’ve got to be smart about who’s susceptible to it.”
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 2:23 PM with the headline "No mandatory masks or new restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise in Georgia, Kemp says."