Baton Rouge, La. – Governors in 17 states have committed to regional coordination to reopen their economies during the coronavirus outbreak, but none are in the South, where leaders are going it alone, as they did in imposing restrictions.

As questions about when and how to ease virus-control measures becomes increasingly politically charged, governors in the Deep South have resisted any appearance of synchronization, instead driving home their message that each state must make its own decision.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp plans to have many of his state’s businesses up and running again as soon as today. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced that most businesses will begin resuming operations as soon as next week.

“We’re trying to take, where we can, our destiny into our own hands,” Kemp said.

– Associated Press