Beaches open back up in Georgia

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is receiving a lot of pushback right now for his decision to re-open beaches in Georgia. 

Places like Tybee Island, a small coastal city near Savannah, Georgia, closed down their beaches a couple of weeks ago in order to curb transmission of the disease.

But after the governor issued a shelter in place rule, the beaches reopened because the governor decided there should be exceptions for those places.

Governor Kemp has stressed that the beaches are important to the physical and mental health of citizens. Kemp also has banned certain types of items on the beach like coolers, lawn chairs, and other items that would encourage group behavior or close proximity to others.

The idea is to just keep the beaches open for people to get some exercise in and go for peaceful walks — activities that allow for social distancing.

The order is set to be in effect until April 13.

This is an interesting decision.

On the one hand, I completely agree that having open spaces for people to get out in is vital for physical and emotional health right now to the extent that it is possible.

They are encouraging social distancing and prohibiting certain items on the beach so it is possible that people could be out and about on the beaches and not coming close to each other.

Note: it is possible that just getting close to the ocean could be risky in and of itself due to ocean breezes potentially carrying the virus but I won’t consider those risks right here.

The biggest problem for me is that the local officials are against the opening of the beaches. 

For example, Tybee Island Mayor Shirley Sessions called the decision a “reckless mandate,” believing that it puts the health of thousands of people at risk. Allen Booker, a county commissioner in Glynn County, said the decision is “stupid and crazy at the same time.”

I’ve always felt like when local government contradicts state government, state government should trump the local government unless the local government is trying to be more restrictive/protective.

My thinking is that local officials know their citizens and communities better than those running the state and so they should have the final call as long as they comply with the minimum requirements set by the state.

I think this is analogous to how things work based on constitutional law if I can recall those lessons from back in my lost school days but don’t hold me to it….

In this case, the local population is older and more at risk and they have no medical facility so you would think that local officials should have more say.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see if the Governor back tracks based on all of the negative backlash he is currently receiving.