Donald Trump tells Georgia governor NOT to open up tattoo parlors and spas immediately in rebuke for Republican leader
President Trump said Wednesday that he told Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp not to open businesses like hair salons and tattoo parlors – where workers and customers can’t practice social distancing to combat the coronavirus spread.
‘I told the governor of Georgia that I disagree, strongly, with this decisions to open certain facilities which are in violation of the Phase 1 guidelines for the incredible people of Georgia,’ Trump said at the Wednesday press briefing.
The president called it ‘too soon’ to open spas, beauty salons, tattoo parlors and barber shops.
President Trump said Wednesday that he told Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp to not open businesses like spas and beauty parlors, saying it was ‘too soon’
‘We’re going to have phase two very soon,’ he pledged.
Dr. Anthony Fauci echoed the sentiment several minutes later when asked about Kemp’s plan.
‘But going ahead and leapfrogging into phases where you should not be, I would advise him as a health official and as a physician not to do that,’ Fauci said.
Last week the White House rolled out a three-phase plan to reopen the American economy.
In order to get to phase one, states needed to see a 14-day decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases. States also needed to have sufficient hospital capabilities and a testing system in place.
At that point, phase one allowed for the reopening of some businesses, including large venues and gyms, while others, like bars, were to remain closed.
But so far none of the states that have committed to partially reopening have met the White House criteria.
Republicans governors in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas have all set dates to lift social distancing and business closure restrictions within the next two weeks.
At the briefing, only Kemp in Georgia was singled out.
‘At the same time he must do what he thinks is right,’ Trump said of Kemp. ‘But I disagree with him on what he’s doing.’
The president said he would intervene, however, ‘if I see something totally agregious, totally out of line,’ he said.
‘But I think spas and beauty salons and tattoo parlors and barber shops in phase one, we’re going to have phase two very soon – it’s just too soon, I think it’s too soon,’ Trump said.
‘I love those people who use all of those things – the spas and the beauty parlors and the barber shops, tattoo parlors, I love them,’ he added. ‘But they can wait a little longer. Just a little bit, not much. Because safety has to predominate.’