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Published -
- April 24, 2020
- 2:04 pm
Georgia reopens businesses.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp moves forward with reopening state businesses despite President Trump’s opposition.
What are the concerns of public health experts and politicians about Governor Kemp’s decision to reopen Georgia’s economy?
On Monday, April 27th, the state of Georgia began the process of reopening its economy, despite loud objections from President Donald Trump. Republican Governor Brian Kemp announced that gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys, and tattoo parlors could reopen immediately, while restaurants and movie theaters would be allowed to reopen with limited capacity beginning on April 27th. The move makes Georgia one of the first states in the country to begin easing restrictions on businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision to reopen, however, has been met with criticism from public health experts, Democratic politicians, and even President Trump. Trump, who has repeatedly pushed for the economy to reopen quickly, tweeted on April 22nd that he “totally disagree[d]” with Kemp’s decision, which he called “too soon.” Trump’s opposition to the move was a surprising rebuke of a Republican governor and a rare instance of him publicly disagreeing with a Republican ally.
The decision to reopen has been met with particular concern because of Georgia’s high number of COVID-19 cases. As of April 28th, the state had over 23,000 cases and 942 confirmed deaths, making it one of the hardest-hit states in the country. Despite this, Gov. Kemp justified his decision by saying that the state’s healthcare system was not overwhelmed, and that the number of new cases had declined over the past few days.
Kemp’s decision to reopen certain businesses has been met with alarm from some public health experts, who fear that it could lead to an increase in cases and potentially overwhelm the state’s healthcare system. Georgia’s largest city, Atlanta, has already issued a stay-at-home order that is in effect until May 31st, and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said on April 27th that she did not plan to relax the city’s restrictions in response to the governor’s order.
Critics of Kemp’s decision argue that it is motivated by political considerations rather than scientific ones. Georgia is an important swing state in the upcoming presidential election, and Kemp is a strong supporter of President Trump. Critics say that Kemp is reopening the economy prematurely as a way to curry favor with Trump and his supporters.
The decision to reopen the economy in Georgia is a controversial one, with both supporters and opponents voicing their opinions loudly. It remains to be seen whether other states will follow Georgia’s lead in reopening their economies, or if they will continue to prioritize public health over economic concerns. Either way, the debate over how and when to reopen the country’s businesses is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
