Responding to the coronavirus pandemic, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms declared a state of emergency for the city on Sunday, March 15, 2020.
Lance Bottoms tweeted that she enacted the measure to slow the spread of the virus, which is spreading in the metro area.
Coronavirus Pandemic: Atlanta Mayor Declares State of Emergency
“In an effort to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, I have declared a State of Emergency within the city of Atlanta, prohibiting large public gatherings of more than 250 people,” she posted.
Lance Bottoms tweeted two pages of the declaration, which says,
The news came the same day that the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommended that for the next eight weeks, organizers cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.
Examples of large events and mass gatherings include conferences, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, weddings, and other types of assemblies,” the CDC says in its guidance. “These events can be planned not only by organizations and communities but also by individuals.”
After learning of the Atlanta-based CDC’s recommendation, Lance Bottoms later tweeted: “This is a quickly evolving public health crisis. The CDC’s recommendation of limiting public gatherings to 50 people came just as I was signing and announcing this Order. We will continue to evaluate and adjust our policies accordingly.”
Roads around the city on Sunday were unusually empty at times, a sign that residents were doing their best to stay at home during the pandemic.
What Does The Atlanta State Of Emergency Mean For You?
For individual Atlantans, the state of emergency means that many of the city’s annual large events are in limbo or canceled.
As of now, the city’s restrictions include:
- No public gatherings of 10 or more
- No dining inside restaurants
- Closure of all bars and gyms
Some parks, local monuments and the Beltline remain open as of now, but the city is under pressure to close them as well.
Huge festivals that usually take place in venues like Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Georgia World Congress Center and even Piedmont Park are having to be reconsidered.
Atlanta has taken several steps already to curtail the coronavirus, including cancellation of the NCAA Men’s Final Four, Atlanta United matches and more.
Atlantafi.com is bringing you the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, which has the state of Georgia and city of Atlanta under a state of emergency. Here are some helpful links: