ATLANTA — Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has decided to extend the state's public health state of emergency along with existing COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Kemp signed two executive orders on Monday to keep the measures in place.
As for the public health state of emergency that was set to expire on Sept. 10 has been renewed for another 30 days, and will now end on Oct. 10 - unless it is renewed once again by Kemp.
The second order, which will now run through Sept. 15, renews the shelter-in-place for the medically fragile and people living in long-term care facilities
It also continues the social distancing requirements and bans on gatherings of more than 50 people - unless there are six feet between each person. The order outlines the standards for businesses operating during the pandemic.
In a White House Coronavirus Task Force report dated August 30, Georgia is still in the red zone for cases.
Although the rate is still high, the progress the state has made in the last two weeks alone is noticeable.
The Aug. 16 report listed Georgia as the state with the highest rate. And the following week, on August 23, Georgia dropped to the second highest. Now the state has the seventh-highest rate.