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Mayor Young reinstates mask mandate for the remainder of 2020
MIKE SMITH
On Wednesday afternoon at the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce, Dyer County Mayor Chris Young announced a re-instatement of a mask mandate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The mandate mask requirement for Dyer County will begin at 12:01 a.m., Oct. 22 and will be effective through the end of the year, unless otherwise lifted by the county mayor.
"It's obvious numbers are skyrocketing so we must react now to avoid further sicknesses and further deaths, potential business closings and even school closings due to the pandemic," explained Young. "We must react to this now and we have to be diligent in our efforts to get these numbers down."
According to the most recent Tennessee Department of Health COVID-19 update, which was issued at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dyer County was reported as having 2,071 total COVID-19 cases, 369 active cases, 1,676 recoveries/inactive, and 26 deaths.
Since the last mask mandate ended on Sept. 28, Young said he has been overwhelmed by emails and text messages urging him to reinstate the mask mandate as the numbers of local citizens testing positive for the virus have trended upward.
"I've really been overwhelmed by doctors, school teachers and business owners urging me to reinstate the mask mandate, and I hear them loud and clear."
Young said he is urging everyone to do their part to help in any way they can, and it starts with local businesses, from the smallest to the largest.
"We're encouraging all businesses from the smallest to the biggest in Dyer County to help us enforce the mask mandate and to lead by example," Young continued. "I'm asking businesses to please have their employees wear a mask, and also to ask, if not require, all patrons to wear a mask and let's get this virus behind us. Our community is a strong one, and at this time we need everyone to make the small sacrifice and do their part to help us to be as safe as we can be during this difficult time."
The order from Mayor Young is as follows:
DYER COUNTY GOVERNMENT
DECLARATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY BY DYER COUNTY MAYOR
WHEREAS, the President of the United States, the Governor of the State of Tennessee, and the Mayors of a number of municipalities in the state of Tennessee have made emergency declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and have recognized it as a public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) advise the use of cloth or other types of face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, immediate action to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities is necessary in order to be able to safely allow governmental operations to continue, businesses to remain open, and schools to reopen in the fall; and
WHEREAS, widespread use of face coverings is believed to be effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19 by reducing the chances of symptomatic and asymptomatic people transmitting the virus to others, especially when used together with other protocols including 6-foot social distancing and hand hygiene; and
WHEREAS, on July 3, 2020, Governor Bill Lee signed Executive Order 54, strongly urging all persons to wear cloth face coverings or other similar coverings in public settings where being in close proximity to others is anticipated, and
WHEREAS, Governor Lee, through Executive Order 54, delegated authority to county mayors in the 89 counties that do not have a locally-run health department (including Dyer County) to issue orders requiring the wearing of face coverings within their jurisdictions, subject to certain limitations, for the purposes of slowing the spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the numbers of positive COVID-19 cases in Dyer County and surrounding counties have significantly increased in the last thirty days; and
WHEREAS, widespread use of face coverings is a preferred alternative to the continued closure of schools and the closure of businesses in our community, which closures would likely become necessary if action is not taken; and
WHEREAS, after consultation with the Mayors of the various municipalities of Dyer County and the School Superintendents for the two school districts within the County, the County Mayor finds that there is a consensus that the wearing of cloth or other face coverings should be required in certain circumstances, and that such a requirement should take effect as soon as possible;
NOW, THEREFORE, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY DELEGATED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 54 AND PURSUANT TO GOVERNOR LEE'S RECOGNITION OF A CONTINUING STATE OF EMERGENCY AND MAJOR DISASTER RELATED TO COVID-19, the Mayor of Dyer County, Tennessee, after consultation with the Mayors of the various municipalities within Dyer County and the School Superintendents for the two school districts within the County, issues a Declaration of Emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and
IT IS ORDERED that cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Dyer County, Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; in public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within the publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained. A "commercial business establishment" means any establishment that sells goods or services, or a combination thereof, including but not limited to grocery stores, restaurants, lobbies and public spaces in hotels and other places of lodging, pharmacies, banks, bars, salons, retail stores, medical and dental offices, and entertainment and sports venues.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Order does not apply to
| 1. | Any person who is under age 12; |
| 2. | Any person who cannot safely wear a face covering because he/she has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering; |
| 3. | Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance; |
| 4. | Persons in a private residence; |
| 5. | Persons who are outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate 6-foot social distancing from others outside of the person's household; |
| 6. | Persons while eating or drinking; |
| 7 | Persons in a place of worship (unless a face covering is required by the place of worship), although persons in places of worship are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19; |
| 8. | Persons within private motor vehicles, unless such vehicle is being used for public transportation or a vehicle for hire; |
| 9. | Persons working under conditions where appropriate social distancing of at least six feet from others outside the person's household is substantially maintained, |
| 10. | Persons present in government facilities, or on government premises, who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the governmental entity operating the facility or premises. Persons present in the public areas of all Dyer County government facilities will wear cloth or other face coverings, subject to the age and health restrictions outlined herein, and subject to number 11, below. Other local governmental entities may issue their own directives regarding their facilities. |
| 11. | Persons in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election; although such persons are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19; |
| 12. | Persons who are engaging in strenuous exercise and/or physical activity, provided, however, that such persons shall maintain 6-foot social distancing when not wearing a face covering; |
| 13. | Persons for whom wearing a face covering would pose a safety or security risk |
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that businesses and facilities subject to this Order shall post signage at public entrances informing patrons of the requirement to wear a mask within the establishment, and shall enforce the requirement within the establishment.
This local order constitutes an order promulgated pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 58, Chapter 2, Part 1. While it is the hope and expectation that Dyer County citizens will comply with this Order out of a sense of civic duty and respect for their fellow citizens, and attempts at education and communication are the preferred methods of obtaining compliance, state law provides for enforcement of this Order if necessary. Pursuant to Executive Order 54 and Tennessee Code Annotated §58-2-120, violation of this Order shall constitute a Class A misdemeanor.
Statement of support for mask wearing from Wendy Long, M.D., president and CEO of Tennessee Hospital Association:
“We are once again at a crossroads and we need our fellow Tennesseans to help ensure we head down the better path.
“COVID cases and hospitalizations are rising again, and if these trends continue, we could experience bed capacity issues in certain parts of the state. We all need beds and available staff in our hospitals not only to care for COVID patients, but to care for those experiencing heart attacks, strokes, injuries and all other kinds of issues that may require a stay in the hospital. Delaying care or preventive screenings also can lead to worse patient outcomes and greater costs, so it is critical that the healthcare system maintains the ability to serve all patients.
“This summer, we worked together to bring down these trends. We saw a 56 percent decrease in average new daily cases and a 38 percent decrease in average daily hospitalizations from early August to mid-September. Average daily hospitalizations now have risen more than 50 percent since late September, so now is not the time to become lax when it comes to COVID precautions.
“If you live in a community where it hasn’t yet become common to take extra precautions, be the example. Show that you care for your fellow community members by wearing a mask in public, staying six feet apart from others and avoiding large gatherings where these precautions aren’t possible. If we take precautions, it also will help businesses stay open and prevent additional financial hardships.
“Doing these things will not only help the economy, and protect hospital capacity and healthcare workers in your community, but it may also save the life of a family member, friend or neighbor.”