Currently, there is not a cure or vaccine for COVID-19. Americans have been told to stay home and step outside only for essentials or the occasional walk. Only businesses deemed “essential” were allowed to operate.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, to the surprise of his own coronavirus task force, decided that now is the perfect time to reopen operations and get back to normal.
“We cannot continue this way economically. We are looking at depression-like unemployment,” Kemp said during a media briefing Monday. “I simply gave people the opportunity to reopen who literally were on the verge of losing everything they’ve got. These are tough decisions. It wasn’t a mandate. They don’t have to do it but they have the opportunity.”
As of Monday morning, Georgia had 23,773 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 902 deaths. The majority of the cases could be found in Fulton (2,593), Dekalb (1,821), Gwinnett (1,520), Dougherty (1,474), Cobb (1,452), and Hall (1,039) counties.
Overall, the United States reached 1 million cases with close to 56,000 deaths. With that backdrop, some see Kemp’s decision as ignorant at best and dangerous at worst.
One of those individuals is Silver Life Member State President of the Georgia NAACP the Rev. James “Major” Woodall. He’s concerned that Black people will suffer disproportionately if the state reopens for business.
“The Georgia NAACP is deeply concerned that African Americans are disproportionately dying from the coronavirus and are committed to partnering with every federal and state institution to develop solutions to minimize this disparity as much as possible,” said Woodall in a letter to Kemp. “We believe that opening the state at this present moment is not in the best interest of Georgians.”
Woodall, along with other members of the Georgia NAACP, are demanding that the state government increase access to COVID-19 testing and treatment, provide personal protective equipment (PPE) statewide, amend an executive order to exclude preemption, and provide grant opportunities for Black- and minority-owned businesses. The Georgia NAACP also wants the state government to expand Medicaid considering that only one out of five residents are covered by the state through Medicaid and PeachCare.
“As your order has taken effect, we have asked communities to continue to shelter-in-place,” wrote Woodall. “As Georgia prepares for the gradual reopening of the state, we want to ensure that every single life is protected.”
Other Black residents in the state remain hesitant to go back to normal as well.
Cobb County resident Angela Crayton said that the state is rushing to come back and not ensuring protective measures first.
“It’s moving too fast without any indication of how to protect yourself when these businesses decide to open,” said Crayton. “I’m personally glad I can work from home. I only go out when absolutely necessary. I do understand that many low-income workers need their jobs to survive, but why can’t the government support them until this country gets back to ‘normal?’”
Another Cobb County resident, Iolene Williams, was brief but concise with her opinion of Kemp’s actions.
“I think it is a shame that he is more concerned with money than the lives of people,” said Williams.