The new statewide rules override the patchwork of restrictions that local governments adopted over the past few weeks. That means more stringent or lenient rules adopted by some cities and counties are no longer in place.

>>More: What Georgians need to know about the shelter-in-place order

>>More: Read the order here.



Kemp’s office doesn’t distinguish between an “essential” or “nonessential” business. Instead, the state’s policy lists a range of criteria for “minimum basic operations” and “critical infrastructure” that businesses must meet to remain open.

They must screen workers for symptoms of coronavirus, including a fever over 100.4 degrees, a cough or shortness of breath. They must also implement teleworking and staggered shifts for all possible workers and ensure that protective gear is available.

‘Do what is necessary’

Businesses and other operations not considered “critical” under the guidelines must also provide alternative points of sale, increase physical space between employees and customers, and provide disinfectants for workers.

The order also permits residents to visit places of worship, so long as social-distancing guidelines and other restrictions are followed, though Kemp has publicly wrestled over whether to impose stiffer limits on congregations.

April 2, 2020 Atlanta: A security guard at the Georgia Department of Labor at 223 Courtland St NE in Atlanta walks past the unemployment certification drop box in front of the office on Thursday, April 2, 2020. Unemployment claims have skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down businesses across the state and country. Georgiaâs coronavirus cases surpassed 5,000 Thursday, and the number of deaths across the state continue to grow. The latest data from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows 5,348 confirmed cases, an increase of about 13% from the 4,748 cases reported Wednesday night. Nine more Georgians have died as a result of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, bringing the stateâs death toll to 163. Wednesday night. Of all that have tested positive since the outbreak began, 1,056 are hospitalized Thursday, according to the health department. Amid predictions of a steep increase in cases and with plans in place to increase daily testing capacity, officials say those numbers could balloon in the coming weeks. Scientific projections suggest the state will see thousands of new cases and hundreds of additional deaths before the virus is contained. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC

There are no limits on exercise, so long as social distancing is employed. Georgians can still visit state parks and play sports outside, including golf, though gatherings of more than 10 people are banned unless there’s at least six feet between each person.

At a press conference Wednesday, Kemp said the Georgia State Patrol and other agencies will take “appropriate action to ensure full compliance — no exceptions.” He did not disclose potential penalties, but he said, “we will do what is necessary if people fail to comply.”

Though the restrictions are set to expire in less than two weeks, the governor could extend them beyond that date if he renews a state public health emergency declaration that’s set to expire in mid-April.

>>MAP: Coronavirus cases in Georgia

>>DASHBOARD: Real-time stats and the latest news on the coronavirus outbreak

Kemp for weeks said the pandemic didn’t warrant the extreme social-distancing measures that most other states were imposing, publicly supporting a hodgepodge of limits that Georgia cities and counties put in place even as his top aide criticized local governments for “overreach.”

But his about-face on Wednesday came amid dire projections of a steep increase in illness and death in the coming weeks from a pandemic that's already sickened thousands of Georgians.

‘People don’t need to panic’

The governor attracted widespread ridicule for his comments at that press conference that he decided to take more drastic measures after learning the virus "is now transmitting before people see signs."

Health officials have long known that people who were infected but not showing symptoms were capable of transmitting the virus to others.

His office said his remarks referred to more recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on this nature of asymptomatic infection, which a spokesman said triggered updates in state projections on testing, hospital capacity and virus transmission rates.

At the press conference, Kemp implored residents to heed the state’s directives, stay calm and “win this war by hunkering down.”

“People don’t need to panic. I understand people are scared and we’ve never seen anything like this,” Kemp said, adding that supply lines for groceries and medical supplies are secure.

If necessary, he said, the National Guard and the Georgia State Patrol would be used “to get groceries and supplies to keep our families fed, and to keep the medicines flowing, to get health care equipment coming to our state.”

>>Related: Georgia doctors plan for wrenching choices amid slim ventilator supply

>>More: Complete coronavirus coverage