More municipalities in metro Atlanta are enacting shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders for residents.
On Saturday, officials in Dunwoody, Chamblee, Forest Park and Clarkston ordered residents to remain at home, except for essential trips.
Dunwoody's shelter-in-place order, which goes into effect at midnight Saturday, allows for outdoor activities like walking, running and biking, as long as residents exercise effective social distancing, according to a statement from the city.
“This is our strongest statement yet in demonstrating how important it is that we work together to help limit the spread of COVID-19,” Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said in a statement. “The vast majority of our residents and businesses are already doing exactly what’s in this order to protect their families and neighbors, but we want to be clearer about what’s expected.”
» COMPLETE COVERAGE: Coronavirus in Georgia
Chamblee's stay-at-home order begins at 6 p.m. Saturday and permits people to leave their homes for "certain essential activities and work."
Forest Park in Clayton County said its shelter-in-place order is effective starting Monday at 10 p.m.
The orders come a day after DeKalb County issued its own stay-at-home mandate, which goes into effect 9 p.m. Saturday. The county's order, however, only applies to unincorporated parts of the county. That means that DeKalb's cities, both large and small, must enact their own orders if they want to follow the same rules as the county.
Avondale Estates, Doraville, Decatur and Brookhaven have also put similar orders in place. Several leaders in those cities called on the state to take broader emergency action, so that individual local governments would not have to come up with their own rules.
Cobb and Gwinnett counties, as well as the city of Atlanta, have also issued stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders for residents.
About the Author