Local business owners discuss re-opening Georgia

ALBANY, Ga. — By the end of the week, many Georgia businesses, including barbershops, nail salons, and gyms to name a few will be allowed to re-open their doors.

Albany Mayor, Bo Dorough says that it may be too soon given Dougherty County’s COVID-19 numbers.

“The virus hit us harder and earlier than anywhere else in the state. And i’m hoping we have passed the peak, but then you read about the possibility of a second wave, and i am obviously concerned about that,” says Mayor Dorough.

One of the businesses many are certain to flock to in barbershops are taking precautions as they get set to re-open.

Brandon Bracy is one such local barber, and while he’s doing appointments only, he’s taking more precautions.

Bracy tells us, “On top of distancing, there’s basically sanitation. So we have hospital grade virus spray that kills this stuff. It’s a lysol on steroids type of thing.”

Elsewhere in the Good Life City, Buddy Blackwell, the owner of a local bowling alley is holding off on the re-opening for a week, and even he’s taking precautions when people will be playing on his lanes again.

“We’re planning on doing every other lane, so with people bowling, everybody in that group will use the same ball return. We’re going to sanitize the balls after each group is finished in that area,” says Blackwell.

As local owners begin to ease themselves back into operating in a re-opened Georgia, the additional measures they’re taking will be the deciding factor in how the good life city tries to return to normalcy.

Governor Kemp mentioned as well in his address Monday afternoon that movie theaters and restaurants would be allowed to re-open on Monday, April 27th, with proper distancing and sanitation guidelines.