Several COVID-19 guidelines under the governor’s three March 31 executive orders have been lifted through April 30, including the ban on gatherings, the shelter-in-place requirements, the distance requirements at restaurants, bars, and movie theaters and fitness classes and the ability of law enforcement to close organizations for failure to comply with the orders.
The new orders also remove the critical infrastructure distinction and collapse all organization suggested measures into one main list, with a small number of additional industry-specific requirements remaining. The orders extends the current COVID-19 guidance in Georgia until April 7 with an added provision allowing state agency employees to get a COVID vaccine without using sick leave or annual leave.
COVID-19 cases remain low in Pike County, compared to previous months since the pandemic began more than a year ago.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, there were 21 confirmed cases in Pike over the past two week period as of April 5. There have been 24 deaths, 12 probable deaths and 68 hospitalizations since the start of the pandemic.
Vaccines are now available to all citizens 16 years old and up as well as others with medical conditions.