NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Monday, Governor Bill Lee announced the order for Tennesseans to remain at home will expire April 30, with the majority of businesses in 89 counties allowed to re-open May 1.
The commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Health says there are now more recovered COVID-19 cases than active cases, plus additional (new) testing sites are coming soon.
“Our Economic Recovery Group is working with industry leaders around the clock so that some businesses can open as soon as Monday, April 27.
These businesses will open according to specific guidance that we will provide in accordance with state and national experts in both medicine and business.”
Gov. Lee
Gov. Lee’s administration will be working with Shelby, Madison, Hamilton, Knox and Sullivan counties and their health departments as they plan their own re-open strategies.
“While I am not extending the safer at home order past the end of April, we are working directly with our major metropolitan areas to ensure they are in a position to reopen as soon and safely as possible,” said Lee. “Social distancing works, and as we open up our economy it will be more important than ever that we keep social distancing as lives and livelihoods depend on it.”
Gov. Lee
The governor’s office says the Economic Recovery Group, composed of 30 leaders from the public and private sector will craft guidance to assist businesses in a safe reopening. The representatives participating in the ERG collectively represent over 140,000 Tennessee businesses that employ over 2.5 million Tennesseans. For more info about ERG click here.
Tennessee will also be reopening most of its 56 state parks on Friday for day-use only.
