Bibb County officials address public safety during Kemp’s executive order

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Macon-Bibb County officials address concerns of public safety following Governor Kemp’s shelter-in-place order.

Thursday, Governor Kemp required the citizens of Georgia to stay inside unless conducting essential business. Monday, a virtual town hall meeting took place on Facebook between Bibb County residents and county officials about what lies ahead.

Bibb County Sheriff David Davis says there’s no specific curfew. However, people should expect to be in the house 24/7 except for the four exceptions listed within the governor’s rule. Davis says local deputies will be out enforcing the order.

“This is not martial law,” said the sheriff. “We are going to let people use their own free will to abide by this and do the right thing and so far people are.”

Representative James Beverly

According to Georgia Representative James Beverly, the Georgia Department of Public Health says an uptick of positive cases could help local officials discover where the virus started in the state. This may help stop the spread of COVID-19.

“We will do some type of surveillance of where they came from,” says Beverly. “What the disease condition is, and what’s the comorbidities. Are people dying? Are they staying in the hospital? But around April 23, that date is extremely important.”

Beverly — who is also a member of Georgia’s health and human services — shared that residents should do all they can to protect the respiratory membrane by covering the bridge of the nose and mouth. Also, remember to use soap when washing hands.

The next town hall meeting will address public health amid COVID-19. No date has been set for that meeting yet.