NAACP Urges Georgians to DEFY Gov. Kemp

NAACP Branches Call On Georgia To Defy Governor

April 23, 2020

On Monday, April 20, 2020 Georgia suffered its highest daily death toll for the Covid-19 virus to date. On the same day Governor Brian Kemp issued an executive order that rescinded his order of March 14. This recent order disregards measures to protect the public from the most dangerous infectious disease in 100 years. According to White House guidelines found at whitehouse.gov/openingamerica, the criteria to be satisfied before executing a phased comeback specify either a downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14 day period, or a downward trajectory of positive tests as a percent of total tests within a 14 day period. The governor cited neither condition is his order nor neither condition exists in Georgia to date. The governor further warned counties and cities not to impede his order.

Data posted daily on the Georgia Department of Health web site confirm that Covid-19 diagnoses are expanding. The undersigned collaboration of Georgia NAACP branches call upon the leaders of Georgia counties and cities to urge their citizens and businesses to continue to observe the shelter-in-place, social distancing and disinfecting measures issued by these counties and cities prior to the Governor’s March 14 order. His order superseded their respective resolutions, ordinances and directives. Local measures have likely saved lives and infectious disease experts warn that returning to pre-Covid-19 practices too soon could lead to a widening of the pandemic.

Data shows that black and other non-white Americans have a higher per capita infection rate as well as higher resultant death rate. The overall death rate in Georgia is about 4 % while the death rate of black Covid-19 patients is more than 9%. We collectively demand more free testing facilities, protective personal equipment (PPE), outreach messaging and rigorous contact testing for the communities we serve and proper tracking of citizens so that we can see a clear path to recovery.

We call upon our local political leaders to continue to work on behalf of all Georgia citizens, and especially its most vulnerable citizens who need and deserve reparative outreach and service. Free testing and treatment must be a state initiative that is necessary because of Georgia’s refusal of Medicaid expansion. We collectively demand a withdrawal of Governor Brian Kemp’s April 20, 2020 executive order. Georgia should maintain sheltering-in-place guidelines until data otherwise indicate that it is safe to begin resuming daily activities under recommendations commensurate with pandemic conditions. For now, STAY AT HOME if possible and practical.

NAACP Atlanta – Richard Rose, President Carroll County NAACP – James Stocks, President Clayton NAACP – Synamon Baldwin, President Cobb County NAACP – Jeriene Grimes, President DeKalb County NAACP – Teresa Hardy, President Gwinnett County NAACP – Penny Poole, President Henry County NAACP – Vivian Thomas, President Newton County NAACP – Gwen Cattledge, President Rockdale County NAACP – Thomas Brantley, President Troup County NAACP – Morris Tatum, President West Metro NAACP – Joy Bates, President

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