Kemp’s Latest COVID-19 Guidelines Address Conventions, Graduations

Governor Kemp announced Friday that he had signed the latest COVID-19-related Executive Order, Order 04.30.21.01, updating guidance for Georgians for the next 30 days.

Key provisions of the new executive order include:

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.

The latest guidelines piggyback on Kemp’s changes made in April, which, among other things:

• Eliminated the gatherings ban
• Eliminated shelter-in-place requirements
• Removed the critical infrastructure distinction and collapses all organization suggested measures into one main list, with a small number of additional industry-specific requirements remaining
• Reduced any remaining distance requirements (i.e. distance between parties at restaurants, bars, and movie theaters, and between patrons of group fitness classes)
• Eliminated the ability of law enforcement to close an organization for failure to comply with the Executive Order provisions
• Still strongly suggested social distancing measures and wearing a mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19.