Following Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision on Monday, April 20 to allow the reopening of some businesses in the state, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and Tybee Island Mayor Shirley Sessions are recommending that business owners take every precaution when making their own decisions on the matter.

Kemp’s announcement named gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys and tattoo parlors as some of the businesses that can reopen Friday, April 24 — as long as owners follow strict social distancing and hygiene requirements. By Monday, movie theaters could resume selling tickets and restaurants limited to takeout orders can go back to limited dine-in service.

Johnson said he believes the reopening of the state’s businesses was “premature,” and that it “places Savannahians at risk.”

“The politics in that are clear,” Johnson said. “The governor has not communicated with the city of Savannah since this began, so he obviously doesn’t have a clue about the situation here on the ground in Savannah, our efforts or what we’re trying to do. Now, we’re prevented from taking any additional action.”

Local governments cannot make any mandates that are more or less restricting than the governor’s order, leaving the decision squarely on the shoulders of residents and business owners.

“I think it’s putting a lot of pressure and stress on the businesses,” Sessions said. “Local government doesn’t have a say at this point. It really doesn’t matter what I think or what our council thinks. Right now it’s really up to the businesses and the public to decide if they’re ready or not.”

Sessions said Tybee Island’s council was planning a retreat Tuesday, April 28, to discuss the process of reopening the city, but Kemp’s plans jumpstarted that process.

“I can’t do anything other than try to encourage our local businesses to think for themselves, and if you are ready to open, please take every precaution you can to keep yourself safe, as well as your staff and your customers.“

Johnson said testing hasn’t been up to par in Georgia, and that opening the state now without an adequate testing plan is reckless.

“We are not implementing expanded testing to a degree that would give us any kind of relative certainty,” Johnson said. “Until we have that assurance, we have to remain where we are.”

Both mayors noted that the governor’s orders offered a choice for residents and business owners, though Johnson said he hopes they choose to keep quarantining.

“The governor’s orders are the governor’s orders,” Johnson said. “I’m asking Savannahians to continue to stay at home until the science backs that recommendation.”

“This is an opportunity for people to think for themselves. The government has said, ‘You can do that, go for it,’” Sessions said. “Now it’s going to be up to them to ask themselves, ‘Am I ready?’”