Atlanta Mayor Officially Shuts City Down, Back To Phase One

As coronavirus cases continue to rise, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms took back the city’s reopening plans.

Having all residents ordered to stay home except for essential trips, Atlanta will officially go back to Phase 1.

All city residents are asked to stay inside their homes with the exclusion of essential trips in Atlanta’s Phase 1. Restaurants and business are asked to remain open for to-go and curbside orders.

Mayor Bottoms had this to say about her recent decision:

“Based upon the surge of COVID-19 cases and other data trends, pursuant to the recommendations of our Reopening Advisory Committee, Atlanta will return to Phase I of our reopening plan. Georgia reopened in a reckless manner and the people of our city and state are suffering the consequences.”

Atlanta initially entered Phase 2 at the end of May, which was described as an “easing” of restrictions phase. In that Phase, the following was allowed, to-go and curbside orders from retail establishments and restaurants—and allowing groups of no more than 10 people to gather. These new restrictions are a direct response to the city’s surging COVID-19 cases. Georgia set a new single-day record of new coronavirus cases this week with nearly 5,000 people newly infected.

Unfortunately, Mayor Bottoms’ orders are just guidelines and are not enforceable because Governor Brian Kemp’s executive orders, supersede any orders by Mayor Bottoms. The two actually had a back-and-forth on social media regarding Mayor Bottoms’ new decision.