‘Georgia is open for business’ | Gov. Kemp lifts many COVID-19 restrictions – 11Alive.com WXIA

Governor Brian Kemp declared, Georgia is open for business as his executive order removing most statewide restrictions takes effect Thursday, April 8.

ATLANTA Most of the COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place across Georgia will no longer be in effect on Thursday.

Governor Brian Kemptweeted Wednesday that Georgia is open for business after a year when small businesses, especially, struggled to stay afloat and bring customers in, while keeping the virus out.

Many welcomed the governors order. However, not everyone is rushing to change what theyve been doing, just because the state says they can.

At first, during the pandemic, Atmosphere French Restaurant in Midtown Atlanta struggled to survive.

Now, with limited seating spaced far apart outside and inside, plus with a robust take-out service, Owner Julian Sery said Wednesday that business is recovering just fine the way it is.

We probably will keep the restrictions in place for a little longer, Sery said, until we feel everybody can be safe. We want our customers to feel safe when they come here. So well see how the vaccine goes and how people, the customers, react to the changes, and well make a decision from there.

The changes, statewide, as of Thursday include:

Service employees must still wear masks, for example.

Many restaurants, bars, and other businesses are ready to increase their capacity; their customers say they are comfortable being closer to each other.

However, many others are not ready.

I think its still a little too soon, Sharalyn Daniel said at her table at Atmosphere, several feet away from other tables. "Because everyone is just starting to get vaccinated.

Even with the new executive order in place, the governor is still urging people to continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.

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'Georgia is open for business' | Gov. Kemp lifts many COVID-19 restrictions - 11Alive.com WXIA