NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville Mayor John Cooper says it’s “probably unlikely” that the city’s Fourth of July celebration will take place.
During his daily COVID-19 update on Thursday, Cooper said residents shouldn’t expect the event to happen at this point – although he did say they expect most of the economy to be back by then.
“We’ll get there when we get there, but we need to get started and have no relapses for sure in order to get there,” Cooper said.
He cited the fact that it’s a large social gathering – with hundreds of thousands of people – and it would only take a few to undo months of progress.
Butch Spyridon, president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, released a statement saying: “If we had to make the decision today, we agree with the Mayor. While we look at possible options to create an alternative to the normal event, we will make a final decision in mid May.”
Cooper did say that Nashville should “pat itself on the back” for its response and cooperation during the crisis.
The city’s “Safer-at-Home” order remains in effect until at least May 8. All residents are urged to wear face coverings when outside.
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See all our coronavirus coverage here
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
