Atlanta entered Phase 3 of its coronavirus reopening plan Thursday, which expands the city’s attendance limit for outdoors events.
Outdoor gatherings with less than 20,000 people are now allowed, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.
Atlanta is operating with a five-phase COVID-19 Response Plan, and Phase 3 allows for additional businesses to resume operations with restrictions and capacity limitations. Phases 4 and 5 allow city employees to return to government buildings, and public access to those buildings, respectively.
Some city employees could be allowed to resume in-person work as early as June 7 if the city advances to Phase 4 this summer, according to the news release. City Hall is still closed to the public, however, and the release stated there is not enough data yet to project when Atlanta will advance to Phase 5.
Atlanta still has a mask mandate for anyone entering government owned and operated buildings. Anyone who fails to wear a mask after getting a warning will be fined $25 on the first offense and $50 for repeat offenses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in May that fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks or socially distance in most indoor and outdoor locations unless required by law or local businesses. The guidance advises fully vaccinated people to wear masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters.
While COVID-19 vaccinations are not required to enter Atlanta’s government buildings, city staff and visitors are “highly encouraged” to get vaccinated, according to the release.
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