Thursday morning Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert signed an Executive Order advising businesses and citizens to encourage wearing masks.

The Executive order was issued pleading with people and businesses to take the protective measures guided by the CDC to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“We’ve seen such a drastic increase in confirmed cases in recent weeks, and – coupled with regular health issues – that has put a strain on healthcare, public safety and services, the ability for businesses to remain open, and the inability to plan properly for work and school,” says Mayor Reichert. “It’s at this point each of us as people, businesses, and organizations recognize the impact we have on each other’s health and take preventative steps."

If you live in, work in, or visit Macon-Bibb County, you are asked to:

Wear a face covering over the nose and mouth as often as possible;
Monitor one’s personal health daily;
Learn the symptoms of COVID-19 and getting tested as soon as any symptoms appear or after coming into contact with someone else who has tested positive for COVID-19;
Wash hands often, always with soap and water, and for at least 20 seconds;
Avoid close contact with any people who do not live in one’s same residence, meaning staying at least six feet away for others as often as possible;
Avoid large gatherings of people;
Use curbside service where possible for restaurants and retail;
Cover one’s mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; and
Clean and disinfecting frequently contacted surfaces regularly.

All Macon-Bibb County businesses, industries, offices, workplaces, organizations, and other facilities that operate in direct contact with members of the public are being urged to:

Adopt and enforcing a policy requiring all public-facing employees, all employees that must work in close proximity to other people, and all members of the public to wear a face covering as often as practical while on the premises;
Adopt and enforcing a policy denying service to any member of the public that unreasonably refuses to wear a face covering or that is openly exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19;
Adopt and enforcing a policy prohibiting employees from attending work if they have a fever or are exhibiting any other symptoms of COVID-19;
Adopt and enforcing a policy prohibiting employees who have been in close contact with any person who has tested positive for COVID-19 from attending work unless and until they get a negative result on a COVID-19 test;
Adopt appropriate precautionary measures, including installing vapor-proof barriers at points of personal interaction, practicing frequent and thorough sanitization, and limiting the need to use frequently contacted surfaces however possible;
Wherever practicable, provide face coverings and hand sanitizer to any customers or employees who do not otherwise have access to such items; and
Wherever practicable, adopt policies to mitigate the economic damage caused by COVID-19, including by providing or expanding paid sick or personal leave for employees; allowing employees who must stay away from work for an extended period of time because of COVID-19 to return to their jobs when healthy; and working with customers and tenants to allow for some flexibility in the payment of debts and rents where doing so may serve to reduce blight, homelessness, or business closures.

Read the full Executive Order here.

Coronavirus Updates & News