- On Monday, April 20, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that he wanted an early reopening of many of the businesses he had closed in an executive order just three weeks earlier.
- But research from the Federal Reserve shows that just as the closures were the right move for public health, reopening them too soon could prove disastrous for the state's COVID-19 infection rate.
- According to a metric known as the occupational contact-intensity index, the list of businesses Kemp wants opened up present a considerable risk at a time when social distancing measures are still needed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
- There's no doubt that these businesses are hurting economically, and that Federal assistance is hard to get, but many business owners are objecting to Kemp's call to resume operations.
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In early April, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp issued an executive order closing select businesses and limiting operations of those deemed non-essential to slow the spread of COVID-19 — this week he plans to reopen.
The list of closed businesses corresponds closely with those jobs that require close physical proximity for workers to do their jobs, measured by a number called the occupational contact-intensity index.
According to that index, Kemp was right to close the businesses that he did. Now, his announcement to reopen many of them could prove disastrous for public health at a time when the best protection against new coronavirus infections is social distancing.
Researchers at the Federal Reserve explained the contact-intensity index, which surveyed workers from a broad swath of the economy, asking them to rate the close physical proximity to others their job requires. The possible answers and corresponding scores are:
- I don't work near other people (beyond 100 ft.): 0
- I work with others but not closely (e.g., private office): 25
- Slightly close (e.g., shared office): 50
- Moderately close (at arm's length): 75
- Very close (near touching): 100
Loggers and forestry workers, had the lowest average proximity score of 34, while barbers and hair stylists had the highest at 92.
All of the businesses Kemp wishes to reopen have scores of 70 or higher, meaning that they must work at arm's-length or closer. That puts them well inside the six-foot distance recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (which is based in Atlanta).
Kemp's announcement on Monday drew sharp disagreement from Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, as well as many business owners who indicated they would wait until the risk subsided before returning to normal.
"We're going to have to continue to follow the doctors and the science and the recommendations of the people that matter, and politicians are not one of them," said Richard Ramey, owner of the Atlanta Eagle bar, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Kemp defended himself on Fox News about the public backlash to his decision.
"You have to give that fitness owner or that owner of the hair salon the ability to be able to be a partner in this fight that we are in," he said. "They are going to have to follow the strict guidelines."
Here are the businesses Kemp says can reopen starting Friday, their proximity score, and additional concerns that are unique to their operations.
Hair and nail salons
Proximity score: 92
Additional concerns: These businesses require physical touch and generally operate on very narrow margins, which could affect their ability to invest in the personal protective equipment needed to work safely.
Tattoo parlors
Proximity score: 92
Additional concerns: Many tattoo shops responded to the national shortage of gloves and masks by donating their supplies, and continued scarcity could complicate their ability to follow even basic safety procedures.
Dine-in restaurants
Proximity score: 88 (chefs/cooks), 75 (servers)
Additional concerns: While kitchen staff work more closely with one another than servers do, waitstaff have far more contact with customers who may introduce infections.
Massage parlors
Proximity score: 80
Additional concerns: Licensed massage therapists already take important steps to prevent the spread of infections like the common cold or seasonal flu, but a job that requires physical touch could put workers at risk of contracting disease from clients.
Gyms and health clubs
Proximity score: 75
Additional concerns: Health and fitness trainers typically work within arm's length of their clients, and gym equipment could pose a transmission risk.
Movie theaters
Proximity score: 74
Additional concerns: Attendants and projectionists must work within arm's length of other people, and theaters will have to limit capacity in order to allow patrons to maintain social distance.
Bowling alleys
Proximity score: 70
Additional concerns: Game booth cashiers may be able to borrow some of the techniques that grocery stores are using to keep employees safe, but the use of common equipment could present a risk to workers and customers alike.