Officials criticize Georgia governor's decision to reopen beaches amid coronavirus pandemic

Some local officials in Georgia are denouncing Gov. Brian Kemp for issuing a shelter-in-place order that upended local efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Tybee Island, a small coastal city near Savannah, Georgia, that depends on tourism, closed its beaches two weeks ago amid the growing pandemic. But the town's decision was abruptly reversed when Kemp's shelter-in-place order went into effect and reopened the state's beaches.

Kemp's executive order allows exercise, with social distancing, on the beaches. The state's Department of Natural Resources prohibits beachgoers from using chairs, tents and umbrellas until April 13.

Mayor Shirley Sessions called the decision a "reckless mandate," adding that the health of the town's 3,100 residents, staff and visitors are now at risk. 

"As the Pentagon ordered 100,000 body bags to store the corpses of Americans killed by the coronavirus, Gov. Brian Kemp dictated that Georgia beaches must reopen, and declared any decision makers who refused to follow these orders would face prison and/or fines," she said in a statement. "Tybee City Council and I are devastated by the sudden directives and do not support his decisions."

Sessions, who was sworn in three months ago, noted that Tybee is not currently staffed with emergency medical services or life guards. She said beach parking lots will remain closed and that she will pursue legal options to change Kemp's mandate.

Kemp responded on social media saying that officers "report no issues as they patrol the beach and surrounding areas. Beachgoers are mostly locals and complying with social distancing orders."

Sessions said the plywood signs and wooden barricades indicating the beach is closed will likely be taken down Monday.  She pleaded with the public to stay off the beaches and encouraged people to take videos if they see people gathering too close together on the beach.

"We're at a very precarious situation," she said.

Several other officials have criticized the governor's decision in local media. Allen Booker, a county commissioner in Glynn County, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the decision is "stupid and crazy at the same time."

“It attracts to the beach larger groups of people, young and old, and facilitates the spread of the COVID-19 virus, leading to people dying," he told the outlet.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson appeared on NBC Nightly News saying that the order "does not compute."

“We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, and while we are closing schools we are reopening beaches,” he said.

Kemp had previously resisted calls to issue a statewide order for people to stay at home. His tightening of restrictions was welcomed by health officials, but he drew criticism for his explanation. 

Kemp said he was taking the step because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was now "finding out that this virus is now transmitting before people see signs." Health officials have warned that people who do not appear sick could be spreading the disease since late January. 

Georgia's Department of Public Health reported 6,742 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 219 total deaths as of Sunday.

Contributing: William Cummings, USA TODAY

Follow N'dea Yancey-Bragg on Twitter: @NdeaYanceyBragg