Kemp extends COVID-19 recovery efforts as state of emergency ends

ATLANTA (WALB) - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed two executive orders Wednesday to help continue the state’s economic COVID-19 recovery efforts as the public health state of emergency ends at midnight.

“Effective midnight tonight, the public health state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will end in the state of Georgia,” said Kemp. “From the beginning of our fight against this deadly enemy, my office has worked alongside countless hardworking Georgians in the public and private sector to implement a measured approach to protecting both lives and livelihoods. The public health state of emergency was absolutely vital to those efforts, and I thank the General Assembly for the trust they placed in my office last spring.”

State of Emergency Executive Order for Continued COVID-19 Economic Recovery:

This order will allow the state to continue responding to the negative economic, supply chain, and healthcare infrastructure impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rule Suspensions Executive Order:

This order continues various regulatory provisions from the public health state of emergency into the new state of emergency, including provisions related to expanded licensure of medical professionals, unemployment insurance, remote notarization, emergency management designation for medical providers and facilities, remote grand jury proceedings and vaccine administration.

“With coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths at all-time lows — and vaccinations on the rise — Georgians are getting back to normal. These new executive orders will enable the state to make that transition as easy as possible for our healthcare infrastructure, our job creators and the supply chains they rely on, and Georgians getting back in the workforce. The people of our state have shown their resilience over the last 16 months, and I am truly grateful to them for the sacrifices they made each and every day to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their fellow Georgians. Now, we must commit to working together to ensure Georgia’s best and brightest days are ahead,” said Kemp.