Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Monday night that she signed a 14-day stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Aside from exceptions for “essential” services and businesses, Atlanta residents are directed to stay inside their homes, according to the executive order. The exemptions to the order include essential city services and businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, laundromats, parks, the Atlanta BeltLine and restaurants serving takeout.
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While using outdoor spaces, including city parks, residents are ordered to practice social distancing and remain at least 6 feet away from other people.
In addition, the order says that the city’s homeless people are exempt from this order, but they are urged “to find shelter.”
The order goes into effect at midnight and will last until April 7. Click here to view the full executive order.
She announced her plan to sign the order earlier Monday but held off due to a request from Gov. Brian Kemp to wait until after his 5 p.m. press conference. In a tweet, she thanked Kemp, adding that she signed the order due to Atlanta’s “density” and “specific needs/concerns.”
MORE: Atlanta Mayor holds off on stay-at-home order, per governor's request
Thank you @BrianKempGA for the updated state guidelines. Based upon our density & specific needs/concerns in Atlanta, I’ve signed a 14 day Stay at Home Order. As of now, this does not include essential businesses, parks, @AtlantaBeltLine & restaurants serving takeout. pic.twitter.com/c2rw5eWjmH
— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) March 24, 2020
“While Governor Kemp has to consider the needs of the state as a whole, as Mayor of Atlanta, I have been entrusted with making decisions that are specific to our city,” Bottoms said in a news release. “Given our population density, high rate of asthma, and various underlying health conditions found within our city’s populations, I am issuing a Stay at Home Order for Atlantans.”
Kemp’s announcement included banning many gatherings of more than 10 people and ordering a shelter in place for “medically fragile” Georgians for two weeks, AJC.com previously reported.
ALSO: Kemp bans many gatherings, orders shelter in place for 'medically fragile' in Georgia
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