This afternoon Cobb County BOC Chairman Mike Boyce signed a supplement to the Declaration of a State of Emergency.

It extends the declaration until April 24, and includes a further list of non-essential businesses that must immediately close.

A press release announcing the supplement to the declaration lists the affected businesses as follows:

• Gyms, fitness and recreation centers
• Hair salons
• Barber shops
• Nail salons
• Waxing salons
• Tanning salons
• Spas
• Tattoo parlors
• Massage-therapy establishments and massage services
• All other nonessential businesses in which person-to-person contact occurs and persons are unable to maintain a distance of 6 feet between one another at all times.

“I want to make absolutely sure that all of our measures help slow the spread of the virus,” Boyce said. “Our healthcare system in the county still has capacity, still has available ventilators, so it is important rather than filling those beds and using those ventilators we take all necessary measures to not use up those resources.”

The press release further states:

Grocery and essential retail stores will be required to institute measures to ensure social distancing in their buildings, including posting signage and markings in and outside of the stores. There are other measures for stores outlined in the order, as well as a further definition of the “shelter-in-place” order and language outlining the delay in opening community pools and recreation facilities.

The order takes effect immediately.

You can read the complete document on Cobb County’s COVID-19 webpage at https://bit.ly/2yr0Q3H.

Boyce’s comments on the new document can be viewed at https://youtu.be/NNznEw9WDnQ

The County’s Burn Ban is also moved up

The same news release announce that Cobb County’s burn ban is being moved up:

Because of the current shelter-in-place policy, Cobb County’s Fire Marshal is moving up the annual burn ban to take effect on April 10th. 

Leaves, pine straw, and other yard debris may NOT be burned starting that date, and the Fire Marshal’s Office will also stop the issuance of Large Yard Waste and Bonfire permits during this time.  Please note there is no ban on fire bowls, chimineas, or similar devices as long as clean wood (not pressure treated, and no varnish) is being burned.