NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) —Tennessee's Safer at Home Order will expire on April 30, with the majority of businesses in 89 of the 95 counties allowed to reopen on May 1, Governor Lee announced Monday.
The order aiming to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 was initiallyissued on April 2. The governor explained that the change primarily surrounds businesses, and social distancing practices will stay in place.
“Our Economic Recovery Group is working with industry leaders around the clock so that some businesses can open as soon as Monday, April 27,” said Gov. Lee. “These businesses will open according to specific guidance that we will provide in accordance with state and national experts in both medicine and business.”
The governor's office said they will work with Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox and Sullivan counties as they plan their own reopen strategies. Lee told reporters Monday he has spoken with the mayors of the six counties and determined they will present his office with a planned reopening outline.
“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.”
As of Monday, there are7,238 cases of coronavirusconfirmed in Tennessee with 152 deaths.
Of those cases, 3,575 are recovered and 730 people are hospitalized. Tennessee has tested a total of 100,689 people.