Elected officials from Whitfield County, Dalton, Cohutta, Tunnel Hill and Varnell voted Wednesday to approve a resolution expanding the list of local businesses closed to the public through April 30 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release from Mitch Talley, Whitfield County director of communications.
The new resolution, which takes effect at 11 p.m. on April 1 and expires on its own at the end of the month unless extended by the five local governing bodies, orders all barber shops, hair salons, day spas, tanning salons, massage parlors and tattoo/body art studios to remain closed to the public through the end of April.
Also closed are children’s playgrounds, though parks will remain open for activities such as walking and bike riding, with people urged to maintain six feet of separation between one another.
The governing bodies also continue to encourage businesses to send home any employees who show symptoms of COVID-19 and allow them to work from home if at all possible.
Whitfield County Commission Chairman Lynn Laughter says the commissioners will continue to host conference calls each Tuesday and Thursday at 5 p.m., throughout the crisis to share information about COVID-19 and the local response. She encourages residents to watch the tele-conferences and submit questions live at this link: https://livestream.com/accounts/25637515/events/7960637.
Besides the new business and playground closings, the April 1 resolution also continues guidelines of the March 23 resolution that prohibits voluntary social gatherings at which 10 or more people congregate, including, but not limited to, private social functions, religious worship meetings or services, and attendance at theaters, gyms or fitness centers, flea markets or yard sales, or funeral visitations or services, among other activities.
Restaurants, bars, and similar food or drink establishments are ordered to offer only drive-through, pick-up, carry out, or delivery service for food and drink. Restaurants or bars licensed to sell beer and wine for consumption by the drink on the premises will be allowed to sell unopened, sealed containers of beer or wine (not distilled spirits) for take-out consumption off-premises during the time the resolution is in effect.
Cafeterias in licensed medical facilities, nursing homes, and similar facilities are exempt from the resolution, which nevertheless asks these facilities to “exercise extreme caution in limiting numbers of persons therein in accordance with the President’s guidelines.”