MOULTRIE, Ga. — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced that some businesses could reopen as early as Friday, April 24. It’s a move that gets folks back to business, but one against COVID-19 health advisories.

In other words, it’s not a good idea to open back up, Lazarus of Moultrie store owner Steve Lazarus said.

“I’m a little scared right now until we see a down turn in a trend of affected people with the coronavirus,” he said.

Lazarus said he and his employees have been conducting inventory, curbside service, cleaning and straightening the store all while practicing COVID-19 guidelines since regular business is postponed.

Kemp specifically referred to fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbers, hair and nail salons, and massage therapy businesses reopening as early Friday, April 24. On Monday, April 27, theaters and dine-in restaurants can open back up too.

So, this doesn’t necessarily mean his store, a clothing store, can open back up; rather it affects the store in that the virus is still ever-present.

“I’d like to [open up] — I want to [and] I need to — but I just don’t feel like the timing [is right] until we see the curve decreasing,” Lazarus said.

Colquitt Regional Medical Center’s COVID-19 tracker began March 23 with two confirmed cases. As of April 20 it’s at 172 cases and nine deaths. The tracker doesn’t keep up with recovered patients, so the confirmed case numbers will only go up.

While the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s Georgia COVID-19 model projects the downward trend has started, projected deaths continue into late May or early June. The risk of a resurgence in infections is also there.

Of course, none of the closed businesses have re-opened yet, so it’s hard to say what will happen. 

Mayor Bill McIntosh put it frankly: “He’s the governor and I just hope he has an informed [reason] for doing it. I wish all of us well and hope that it works out fine.”

McIntosh has had several calls since Kemp’s announcement from people who were concerned and scared about the decision to open up as it may cause some additional problems.

“It is a considerate decision — I hope it is — I would think it would be, he being the governor of the state of Georgia,” McIntosh said. “We all want to return to normal, but we understand that these are very unusual circumstances. We have to be circumspect about what we’re going to do and how we’re going to get back to that normal life.”

Moultrie Chamber of Commerce President Tommie Beth Willis urged the community to trust and follow the COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines.

“If they want to go out, they can do that. If not, we just encourage them to stay at home and continue sheltering in place,” she said.

Willis looks forward to the day when the economy is strong again but encourages businesses to continue following the executive order.

The chamber has heard a range of things from local businesses over the pandemic’s course. Some have closed while others provide delivery/pickup or are functioning fully.

“We’re seeing one end of the spectrum to the other in our community right now,” Willis said. 

The plan, besides following guidelines, is keeping the community unified. Willis said the chamber will be emphasizing a “Shop Local” campaign starting this week.

“It’s going to be ‘Shop, dine and buy local,’” she said. “We are just encouraging people when they have the opportunity to go out and shop, to do that locally,”

Or buy online from local stores, she said. 

Lazarus said businesses are trying to do the best they can right now.

“I’ve been in business for over 40 years and nothing like this has ever happened so it’s all new,” Lazarus said. “It’s new to me and it’s new to the folks who just got in the business.”