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Mayor Young extends county mask mandate through April 28
BRANDON HUTCHESON
On Friday evening, Dyer County Mayor Chris Young announced the county-wide facial covering mandate, which was set to expire Saturday at 11:59 p.m., has been extended through April 28, 2021 at 11:59 p.m., unless otherwise lifted by the county mayor.
Young’s decision comes after Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order 77 Friday afternoon, extending Executive Order 54 allowing county mayors in 89 of Tennessee’s 95 counties to issue orders or measures requiring or recommending the wearing of face coverings within their jurisdictions. Executive Order 77 is set to expire on April 28 at 11:59 p.m.
Gov. Lee originally authorized county mayors to issue mask requirement orders on July 3, 2020 with the signing of Executive Order 54. Mayor Young announced a mask requirement for Dyer County on July 16, 2020, which became effective on July 20, 2020. Young extended the mask mandate twice, first through Aug. 29 and then through Sept. 28. The mandate was not extended after Sept. 28; however, due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in Dyer County, Young reinstated the mandate on Oct. 21, becoming effective on Oct. 22 and lasting through the end of December 2020.
In 2021, the mandate was extended through Jan. 19, Feb. 27, and now through April 28.
Regarding the most recent extension of the mask mandate, Mayor Young stated, “After consulting with our health department and other health care professionals, Dyer County will remain under a mask mandate through April 28. Counties in Tennessee that have been under a mandate have had 50 percent fewer deaths compared to those without. At this time, we just don’t have enough vaccines completed to relax our regulations and let our guard down. Thanks to our Dyer County Health Department and those local pharmacies that are delivering vaccines, I do believe that we are very close and there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
“I appreciate the cooperation of businesses and others in our county who have practiced precautions for such a long time. They have made a difference in many lives.
“Please remain vigilant with all precautions a little while longer.”
According to the most recent Tennessee Department of Health COVID-19 update, issued Friday afternoon, Feb. 26, Dyer County was reported as having 5,228 total COVID-19 cases, 25 active cases, 5,102 recoveries/inactive, and 101 deaths.
The COVID-19 numbers reported on Feb. 26, as compared to those on Dec. 28, 2020 and Jan. 26, 2021, are as follows:
- Dec. 28, 2020
Total cases: 4,138 (up 1,090 on Feb. 26)
Active cases: 349 (down 324 on Feb. 26)
Recoveries/Inactive: 3,721 (up 1,381 on Feb. 26)
Deaths: 68 (up 33 on Feb. 26)
- Jan. 26, 2021
Total cases: 4,885 (up 343 on Feb. 26)
Active cases: 236 (down 211 on Feb. 26)
Recoveries/Inactive: 4,562 (up 540 on Feb. 26)
Deaths: 87 (up 14 on Feb. 26)
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 declaration related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recognized it as a public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the 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 in necessary in order to be able to safely allow governmental operations to continue, businesses to remain open, and school 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, Governor Lee, through Executive Order 54, and extended by Executive Order 77, 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 purpose of slowing the spread of COVID-19; 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 77 AND PURSUANT TO GOVERNOR LEE’S RECOGNITION OF A CONTINUING STATE OF EMERGENCY AND MAJOR DISASTER RELATED COVID-19, the Mayor of Dyer County, Tennessee, after consultation with the Mayors of 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 officers 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. | Within one’s residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire; |
| 2. | By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger; |
| 3. | By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering; |
| 4. | By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without assistance; |
| 5. | While eating or drinking; |
| 6. | While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person’s household; |
| 7. | While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person’s household is substantially maintained; |
| 8. | In situations in which wearing a face covering poses a safety or security risk; |
| 9. | While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged; or |
| 10. | While in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged. |
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 the Order are declared to be severable.
This order shall become effective at 12:01 a.m., February 27, 2021, and will expire on April 28, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. unless sooner canceled or unless extended.