This is insane. This doesn't even meet the White House "gating" criteria, and those are too lax to begin with!
Recall that the gating criteria call for 2 weeks of sustained decline in cases, and declining positive tests.
Recall that the gating criteria call for 2 weeks of sustained decline in cases, and declining positive tests.
From the White House document released last week: 
In his announcement Kemp cites "favorable data."
Here's the data (it's not especially favorable).
Here's the data (it's not especially favorable).
Testing: This is a simple chart of GA's positive test rate (using @COVID19Tracking data) over last 3 wks. Lot of variation but no obvious decline. Which suggests 1) testing remains inadequate, and 2) there are a lot of cases being missed in the official numbers (as everywhere).
Cases: Here's GA's case curve (per JHU tracker data). Again, lots of variation, no evidence of sustained decline. And only a few days since their highest daily case total so far (1525 on 17 April).
So there's no way to say with confidence the GA's outbreak has even peaked, much less gone into decline, much less into sustained decline. Trump's gating criteria have not been met.
But it gets worse.
But it gets worse.
Here are the guidelines for businesses that Kemp has announced. Bear in mind he's allowing barbers, cosmetologists, masseuses, gyms, theaters, etc to reopen.
How can any of those businesses begin to meet the "strict criteria" outlined here?
How can any of those businesses begin to meet the "strict criteria" outlined here?
How does a massage therapist, barber, or nail salon worker "increase physical space between workers and customers?"
Will the barbers use extra-long scissors? It's absurd.
Will the barbers use extra-long scissors? It's absurd.
The document requires "prohibiting gatherings of workers during working hours" but somehow gathering customers in a theater setting or a gym is acceptable?
This is incredibly reckless. And unless the White House condemns it as a violation of their guidelines (which is hard to imagine) then the President co-owns the outcome.
