By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Tennessee’s Phase 3 got off to a shaky start Monday in Shelby County.
The Shelby County Health Department confirmed 80 new cases of COVID-19 the previous day. Under Phase 3, grocery stores, restaurants, libraries, gyms and retail stores may operate at 75 percent capacity. Group gatherings are still limited to 50, unless there’s a clear social distancing plan.
Shelby Co. Health Department Director Dr. Alisa Haushalter spoke on why Phase 3 is so important to the overall progress of the state and Memphis area dealing with the coronavirus.
“We can move into Phase 3, that allows people to be more engaged with society,” she said. “It allows us to plan for children to go back to school. It allows businesses to get back to their typical business.”
The number of new COVID-19 cases since Memorial Day has given the Health Department concerns. The SCHD has reported 80 new cases June 14 bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 6,636 in Shelby County.
According to the SCHD, 139 people have died and just under 4,700 people in Shelby County have recovered.
Across the state, Tennessee Department of Health reported more than 400 new cases this past weekend bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 29,541 after Saturday. Tennessee is nearing 500 deaths overall.
Phase 3 is a part of the “Tennessee Pledge” is a plan to help Tennesseans return to work in a safe environment, restore their livelihoods and reboot the state’s economy.
The plan was developed by Gov. Bill Lee, the Unified Command Group and Tennessee’s Economic Recovery Group with input from health experts, state and local partners and business and industry leaders. It includes specific recommendations which enable most businesses to reopen responsibly without the burden of heavy mandates. This will be a gradual process, with room to adjust as we evaluate changing data.
The Tennessee Pledge asks businesses to provide safe working conditions that protect both employees and consumers, while securing their livelihoods. This plan also asks employees to commit to protecting themselves, their co-workers and the customers they serve. Finally, we encourage every Tennessee resident to be on the same team with our businesses: act responsibly by following recommended guidelines for social distancing, hygiene and wearing protective equipment when appropriate.
