Star Staff Reports
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced next steps for the Unified-Command Group as Stuart McWhorter departs the administration at the end of May to go back to the private sector and to take on a senior advisory role at Clemson University.
“Stuart has been a tremendous asset to my administration, first as the commissioner of Finance and Administration, then in his role as director for our COVID-19 response through Unified-Command,” said Lee. “His ability to apply private-sector expertise to public-sector challenges has served our state well and I wish him the best in his new chapter with his alma mater’s entrepreneurship and innovation planning.”
The Unified-Command Group, comprised of the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Department of Military and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, has established working procedures for testing, procurement, hospital capacity contingency planning, data analysis and other core functions in the fight against COVID-19. The Unified-Command Group continues to coordinate with the Economic Recovery Group through planning and executing on the safe re-boot of Tennessee’s economy.
“The strong work of Unified-Command will continue as we address the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis,” said Lee. “This group has optimized our state’s response and we will keep this model in place for as long as needed.”
Phase One
Libraries will be allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity; employees must wear masks
No groups of 10 or more people
Social distancing required
Churches at 25 percent capacity
Elective surgeries and diagnostic, medical and procedural visits allowed
Tele-health encouraged
Nursing homes continue to have precautions in place
Elective dental visits/procedures allowed if medically necessary (fillings, extractions and root canal)
Restaurants and bars at 50 percent capacity; must maintain social distancing; employees wear masks; no communal items
Grocery stores at 50 percent capacity; require face masks and gloves for employees serving or preparing food
Hardware stores at 50 percent capacity
Retail stores and commercial business limited to 50 percent capacity; employees with customer interaction must wear masks
Manufacturers and distributor companies must require face masks for all employees; symptoms check for employees; employees must be social distanced
Offices must require face masks and symptom checks; employees must be social distanced
Non -contact sport facilities will be allowed to reopen, but you cannot share equipment; employees must wear masks
Basketball courts, baseball field and other contact sport facilities will remain closed
Gyms will be limited to 25 percent capacity; workouts limited to 45 minutes
Fully automated car washes allowed
Hair, nail salons and spas to remain closed
Theaters, sports arenas, auditoriums to remain closed
Bowling alleys, indoor climbing facilities, etc to remain closed
Festivals, public events are prohibited
Phase Two
Groups of up to 50 allowed
Libraries, churches, gyms to 50 percent capacity
Contact sport facilities can open as long as they only allow a certain number of people
Hair, nail salons and spas can reopen
Phase Three
Libraries, churches, restaurants/bars, grocery stores, hardware stores, retail stores/commercial businesses, non-contact sports facilities and gyms to 75 percent capacity
Elective surgeries, procedures allowed
Entertainment/performance venues, recreation facilities, festivals, public events are prohibited, but subject to regulations regarding size of groups
