Georgia's public health state of emergency for COVID-19 is over as of 12 a.m. Thursday, July 1.
Gov. Brian Kemp made the announcement Wednesday evening, saying "Georgians are getting back to normal."
"Effective midnight tonight, the public health state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will end in the state of Georgia," Kemp said in a statement released by his office. "From the beginning of our fight against this deadly enemy, my office has worked alongside countless hardworking Georgians in the public and private sector to implement a measured approach to protecting both lives and livelihoods. The public health state of emergency was absolutely vital to those efforts, and I thank the General Assembly for the trust they placed in my office last spring."
Kemp cited declining COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths - as well as increasing vaccination numbers - in allowing the state of emergency to expire. To date, 38% of Georgians have been fully vaccinated against COVID.
"The people of our state have shown their resilience over the last 16 months, and I am truly grateful to them for the sacrifices they made each and every day to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their fellow Georgians. Now, we must commit to working together to ensure Georgia's best and brightest days are ahead," Kemp said.
The governor also signed two executive orders as the state moves beyond the pandemic.
- This State of Emergency for Continued COVID-19 Economic Recovery will allow the state to continue responding to the negative economic, supply chain, and healthcare infrastructure impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Rule Suspensions Executive Order continues various regulatory provisions from the public health state of emergency into the new state of emergency, including provisions related to expanded licensure of medical professionals, unemployment insurance, remote notarization, emergency management designation for medical providers and facilities, remote grand jury proceedings, and vaccine administration.
