Today Georgia takes a baby step toward reopening our state’s economy. To hear some reports, Governor Kemp is flying a crop duster across the state spraying Covid-19.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Let’s do a little review of what has happened, why it happened, and what this update to the Governor’s executive order really means.

On March 14, 2020, Governor Kemp issued a State of Emergency. Multiple counties and cities also issues states of emergency and executive orders restricting gatherings and instituting curfews.

Between March 14 and April 3, Governor Kemp issued multiple executive orders. These orders covered various government activities including activating the National Guard to assist in the response to Covid-19, authorizing emergency expenditures, closing public schools, adjusting regulations such as allowing broader use of telemedicine and others to fit the reality of living in a Covid-19 environment.

On March 23, 2020 Governor Kemp issued an executive order which superseded all county and municipal executive orders regarding Covid-19. This order limited large gatherings and ordered sheltering in place.

The purpose of this order was to flatten the curve of Covid-19 cases while the state expanded hospital capacity. That work was underway at various locations around the state.

On Easter Sunday, April 2, 2020, Governor Kemp announced that the Georgia World Congress Center would become the home of an additional 200 beds. Two weeks later the project was complete.

On April 3, the Governor Kemp issued two key executive orders. One authorized county sheriffs to enforce provisions of executive orders. The other provided definitions of essential services that could continue to operate.

Since April 3, the state of Georgia has rapidly expanded capacity to treat victims of Covid-19. The mortality rate has not stopped and it will not stop. It has declined. The number of new confirmed Covid-19 cases each day also has declined.

Governor Kemp looked at the status, the risks, and the costs. There is a cost of keeping the grip of government restrictions on small businesses. There is a cost of the spread of the Covid-19 if some of those restrictions are relaxed.

Governor Kemp relaxed the grip of government. Contrary to some reports he did not order any business to open. He did not order anyone to leave home.

A key provision is that the business must meet the requirements established by the Centers for Disease Control. Main stream media reports ignore the requirements of reopening. The simple truth is that the Governor’s order demands the same restrictions on these businesses as there have been on businesses, such as WalMart, that have been open the whole time.

The distancing is still in place. The limitations on the numbers of people in a single area are still there. The requirements for gloves, masks, temperature checks, and continuous cleaning are still there.

The media also does not consider the reality of individual decisions. Just because a business can open does not mean that it will open. Just because a business is open does not mean that customers will show up.

I read of some in local governments and even churches proclaim that they would defy the Governor’s order and stay closed. That’s ridiculous.

His order allowed, not required, businesses and their customers to go back to work. There is no defiance by choosing not to open.

Think of this like a water hose with two valves along the way. One valve is government control. The other valve is the market and individual choice.

For the affected small businesses, Governor Kemp shut the valve completely off on April 2. Today he is opening that valve a little. There are still restrictions and there are still businesses that are not allowed to reopen yet.

There is another valve over which government has very little control. At best it can influence. That valve is the market and choices made at an individual level.

Just because the tattoo parlor is open, does not mean that customers will be lined up at the door to get the latest tattoo. Many people will decide to put it off for a while longer to see what happens.

Governor Kemp is taking a well thought-out, calculated, and mitigated risk. The fact is that if we waited for six months to allow businesses to go back to work, there would still be a risk.

There is a cost that is not as easily measured. It is the cost of lost businesses, lost homes, and even lost lives that will come if the economy collapses from its precarious position.

Someone else may have chosen differently. Governor Kemp weighed the costs and chose the side of freedom for small businesses, with strong health restrictions still in place.

Governor Kemp chose to relax the grip of government. I believe that will prove to be the right choice.

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