State and local officials this week announced conflicting rules about reopening the area’s businesses + we want to know what you think about it all.
First, here’s a breakdown of who said what:
🗣️On Monday, Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke said he doesn’t have plans to rescind his shelter-in-place order. That order:
✅ restricts non-essential travel
✅ suspends access to city-owned public spaces, like parks
✅ closes all non-essential businesses
✅ closes child care programs that aren’t serving essential personnel
On Tuesday night, Berke went on CNN and said he wants to make decisions about re-opening based on data and not dates, and that he will be monitoring the numbers over the next few days.
🗣️ Also on Monday, Gov. Bill Lee said the order for Tennesseans to remain home will expire on April 30. That applies to most of the businesses in 89 counties of the state’s 95 counties. Lee’s administration is working with leaders in six counties — Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Knox, Sullivan and Hamilton — as they plan their own re-opening strategies. Lee has created an Economic Recovery Group made up of 30 leaders from the public + private sector and is crafting guidance to assist businesses in a safe reopening. More about that here.
Quoteworthy:
“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. 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. Bill Lee
🗣️On Tuesday, Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger said, in a news conference, he’s following Gov. Bill Lee’s lead and re-opening non-essential businesses closed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those businesses can reopen May 1. Coppinger said that officials will continue to test people and monitor the situation. People should continue to wash their hands + practice social distancing. If trends reverse, Coppinger may re-evaluate the situation.
What this means, for now, is that you’re being asked to follow rules based on where you are. If you’re within the city limits, Mayor Berke’s order is still in place.
So what do you think about this, Chattanooga? Let us know. 👇
