Georgia governor allows businesses to forego COVID mandates as hospitals run out of ICU beds

Local governments in Georgia will not be allowed to impose vaccine or face mask mandates for businesses under a new executive order signed Thursday by Governor Brian Kemp. His order comes as the highly transmissible Delta variant is sending an influx of COVID-19 patients to local hospitals.

"Local governments will not be able to force businesses to be the city's mask police, the vaccine police or any other burdensome restriction that will only lead to employees being let go, revenue tanking and businesses closing their doors," Kemp said at a press conference Thursday.  Under the executive order, local officials cannot enforce vaccine or face mask mandates, leaving it up to private businesses to issue their own requirements or comply with local COVID-19 protocols as they see fit.