“As the Pentagon ordered 100,000 body bags to store the corpses of Americans killed by the Coronavirus, Governor Brian Kemp dictated that Georgia beaches must reopen, and declared any decision makers who refused to follow these orders would face prison and/or fines,” Tybee Island Mayor Shirley Sessions wrote in a statement reacting to Kemp's order. “The health of our residents, staff and visitors are being put at risk and we will pursue legal avenues to overturn his reckless mandate.”
In Florida similar issues arose when Gov. Ron DeSantis' (R) stay-at-home order details were revealed. Not only was DeSantis one of the last nationwide to announce any lockdown measures, but these measures also make exemption for large religious gatherings. Is prayer essential? For many people it absolutely is. But is it essential in mass gatherings at the time of pandemic? Counties across Florida considered it unsafe and banned such gatherings to meet social distancing guidelines. Before the weekend DeSantis has overruled them.
In legal terms state law is above local law and you are not in the wrong for following it. However, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) has asked residents of his state to follow local regulations if they are stricter than statewide rules.
As a general rule it's best to find out both what your state and local authorities have ordered in terms of lockdown measures. All Americans are asked by the CDC to follow general social distancing rules and avoid any gatherings, especially in confined spaces. This week the US is expected to surpass 400,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and limiting social activity to the absolute minimum is crucial in flattening the curve of growth.
