EDITORIAL: Be smart, be responsible

Published 8:30 am Saturday, April 25, 2020

Agree or disagree with Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision regarding reopening some businesses, the transition has begun in Georgia. Regardless of how you feel about whether this is the right time to begin reopening, we all need to remain vigilant and exercise caution. 

As of Thursday evening, there were nearly 22,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia and 162 in Baldwin County, along with four deaths related to the virus. 

This is no time to ease up on taking the precautions that health officials have advised are necessary to prevent the spread of this coronavirus. 

Kemp said these businesses can resume what he called “minimum basic operations” as long as they do certain things to reduce the exposure to and spread of the COVID-19 virus. Specifically, gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, tattoo studios, barbers, cosmetologists, hair designers, nail care artists, estheticians, cosmetology, hair design, esthetics and nail care schools, massage therapists, beauty shops, beauty salons, home-based beauty salons, beauty shops and barbershops have the option to now reopen. 

Businesses, particularly small businesses, are hurting right now, that, we all know and certainly understand. We still need to do what we can — responsibly and cautiously — to support them. 

As our local officials, among them Sheriff Bill Massee and Mayor Mary Parham-Copelan have indicated, keeping this community safe must remain the central focus. We still need to do our part in that regard. Remember also that the statewide shelter-in-place order remains in effect through April 30. 

We must remain mindful that we still have a responsibility to not only the health and safety of ourselves and our families but to our friends and neighbors as well. 

We encourage people to continue to stay at home as much as possible, to avoid gatherings of 10 or more, to wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer, practice all CDC social distancing guidelines and wear masks and gloves when in public to protect yourself and others. 

Let’s be smart and beat this thing, so we can all get back to living our lives.