WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Starting next Thursday, restaurants, and bars in Central Georgia will be able to operate under looser restrictions. Business owners in Warner Robins and Macon welcome the news but say they still plan to do what they can to keep their staff and guests safe.
Back in April of 2020, Cathy Reece said the executive order from Governor Brian Kemp led her to keep the doors closed at PROPS Steak and Seafood in Warner Robins.
Fast forward to 2021, "It's hard to believe it has been a whole year, people have been extremely supportive since we've reopened," Reece said.
With more people getting vaccinated, Gov. Kemp announced this week he will loosen restrictions for restaurants and bars on April 8th. This means less social distancing, gatherings of 50 or more people are allowed, and law enforcement can no longer close businesses down for not following the order.
"It just means that we still have a future -- when things first kicked off we had a lot of uncertainty," Jeremy Jackson said.
Jackson runs Daiquiris and More in Downtown Macon and says the new executive order means more business.
"With the news, things are going back to normal. It's definitely putting a lot of people at ease and we are included, so at this point, we are ready to social distance and be safe," Jackson said.
Jackson says his staff members will continue to mask up, wash their hands frequently, and conduct temperature checks on guests.
"Kind of keep people distanced, we've always had that type of vibe where it's never kind of crowded anyway, so we definitely want to keep that going," Jackson said.
Both owners agree keeping their guests and staff safe will continue to be their priority through the pandemic.
"We will need to be socially mindful of what is going on -- there are still people getting sick, there are still people hurting from this," Reece said.
Governor Kemp's order is expected to last until April 30th.