ATLANTA — Georgia is getting a lot of criticism from Democrats for allowing many businesses to reopen Friday. Yet Colorado is enacting a similar plan. Georgia's governor is a Republican; Colorado's is a Democrat.
In Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp announced a plan Monday to reopen businesses. In Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis released a plan which his office called “safer at home.”
Colorado’s plan loosens previous restrictions, whose goal was to “achieve 75 to 80 percent physical distancing.” The new plan seeks “60 to 65 percent physical distancing.”
Like Georgia, Colorado’s new plan keeps schools closed. But it opens “with strict precautions” hair salons, personal training, tattoo parlors among other personal services.
RELATED: President Trump 'strongly' disagrees with Gov. Kemp's decision to begin reopening Georgia's economy
For restaurants, Colorado’s plan is “exploring phased in reduced capacity,” while Georgia allows restaurant dining rooms to reopen Monday with social distancing guidelines.
Georgia and Colorado will keep bars and nightclubs closed. They are both allowing elective medical services.
Although COVID-19 first showed up in Georgia March 2 – three days before Colorado -- Colorado acted more quickly. Gov. Polis issued a broad shelter-in-place order March 26 – almost a week before Governor Kemp did so in Georgia.
Data from the two states shows comparable spread of COVID-19 in their populations.
Both Governors are still releasing details of how businesses in Georgia and Colorado will behave under loosened restrictions. And both governors are getting some praise – and more than a little heat -- for acting as quickly as they did.
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