East Point orders residents to shelter in place, sets curfew
New emergency declaration adds to business curfew, restaurant restrictions and shutting down some businesses over coronavirus
The East Point City Council bolstered its state of emergency on Tuesday, ordering residents to shelter in place and imposing a nighttime curfew for the next 14 days. Both measures begin at midnight.
The new state of emergency declaration – the city’s third in eight days – comes as the coronavirus worsens in Georgia. East Point joins several jurisdictions across the state, including Atlanta, Savannah and DeKalb County, that are limiting the activities of residents to help combat the pandemic.
“The coronavirus is changing by the day, sometimes even by the hour and minute. The numbers are continuing to climb in Fulton County,” Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham said.
The emergency ordinance takes effect at midnight on Tuesday and lasts until April 7. It orders city residents to remain in their homes “to the maximum extent possible” and allows exceptions for taking part in essential activities and exercise. The new ordinance also puts in a place a curfew on residents from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
On Sunday, the council approved an emergency ordinance that prohibits in-person dining at restaurants and bars, imposes a curfew on businesses – except for pharmacies, hotels and healthcare providers – from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., and closes non-essential businesses for seven days. That ordinance provoked sometimes heated debate among council members and took nearly five hours to garner enough votes to pass.
On Tuesday, the council approved the latest emergency declaration in about an hour. And for the first time since declaring a state of emergency on March 16, they met virtually and broadcast the meeting using the Zoom video conferencing application (photo). The meeting was simulcast on Facebook.
“I think this will help to flatten or slow down this virus,” Council member Karen René said. “Our healthcare system cannot handle the impact of the virus.”
The ordinance approved Tuesday classifies daycare facilities as essential businesses, adding them to a long list of essential businesses and services included in the ordinance adopted on Sunday. Ingraham also clarified that liquor store are not considered essential businesses, which means they were supposed to close for seven days beginning Tuesday.
Also, parks and playground remain closed. That was done in the city’s first emergency ordinance, which was approved on March 16. City facilities have also been closed.
Both the business curfew and the personal one adopted on Tuesday will be enforced by the East Point Police Department, City Manager Frederick Gardiner told the council.
“They are going to continue to look for suspicious activities around the community,” Gardiner said.
Photo (top row from top left): Nanette Saucier, Thomas Calloway, Deana Holiday Ingraham, Myron Cook; (bottom row from left) Lance Robertson, Karen René, Sharon Shropshire, Joshua Butler. The images were captured during Tuesday’s online meeting. Council member Stephanie Gordon participated in the meeting by phone so her image was not available.