The following press release was issued by the Columbus, GA mayor's office:
Today, March 31, 2020, Mayor B.H. “Skip” Henderson III has issued the attached Second Amendment to the Declaration of Local Emergency (Executive Order 20-03).
This order follows the March 29, 2020 announcement by the President of the United States that social distancing and other gathering restrictions recommended by the CDC would be extended until April 30, 2020.
This amendment restates and renews all requirements of Section 3 of the Executive Order 20-01 and Executive Order 20-02 and adds restrictions on outside dining at restaurants.
This Executive Order shall expire by its own terms at midnight on April 30, 2020, unless extended or rescinded by further action of the Mayor or Columbus Council. This is the latest action in an ongoing effort by City leadership to “flatten the curve” of this virus.
The Mayor still hopes that Columbus will not be as affected by this virus as some other cities, but he also recognizes that it would be irresponsible not to take steps to try to mitigate any crisis.
This newest Order is an attempt to limit the rapid spread of this disease so that our local hospitals can manage potential cases without being overwhelmed all at one time. If Columbus can do that, hospitals will be able to more effectively utilize care and resources for those who need them.
To accomplish this, Columbus citizens will have to work together. The citizens of our community will ultimately determine the success or failure of these actions. The City government and local hospitals can and are preparing for the worst-case scenario, but everyone hopes that, by practicing personal responsibility, citizens can help avoid the difficult circumstances in which other cities have found themselves.
To be clear, the Office of the Mayor; City, State, and Federal governments; the Health Department; and the Center for Disease Control recommend self-isolating as much as possible, washing your hands regularly and for twenty (20) seconds, and keeping up with “An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Organization" the latest reputable news.
We will get through this, but everyone in the community must work together to help Columbus avoid the spread of this dangerous virus.