Atlanta mayor blasts Georgia governor’s decision to reopen businesses: 'He did not tell me directly'

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says she can't wrap her head around Gov. Brian Kemp's (R) decision to open hair salons, massage therapists, and other businesses across the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

What are the details?

During a Wednesday appearance on NBC's "Today" show, Bottoms said that Kemp did not notify her before he made the announcement to reopen some businesses throughout the state in order to restart the state's economy.

"He did not tell me directly," she said, "and he's the governor so I don't always expect to receive a call directly from the governor. But something of this magnitude, I would have expected at least a call from someone on his team."

Time reported that Bottoms' remarked Kemp's decision "really defies logic."

"[T]he nature of the business is that you are in close contact with someone, and that's what's most disturbing to me about the way this order has been lifted," Bottoms said on Wednesday.

"It appears the governor's order supersedes anything I can do as mayor, but I still have my voice and what I will continue to do is ask Atlantans to please stay at home," Bottoms also told ABC News.

You can listen to Bottoms' remarks here.

What else?

Kemp announced on Monday that he would begin reopening some businesses on Friday.

According to ABC News, Kemp's order "would allow gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys and tattoo parlors to reopen as long as owners follow strict social-distancing and hygiene requirements."

Bars, live performance venues and amusement parks will remain closed, the outlet reported.

"By Monday," the outlet reported, "movie theaters may resume selling tickets, and restaurants limited to takeout orders could return to limited dine-in service."

Kemp added, "I think this is the right approach at the right time. We're not just throwing the keys back to these business owners. We're talking about people (who had) the government shut down their business."

You can read more about Kemp's order here.

Georgia has had at least 20,740 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and at least 836 deaths due to the virus.