FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Multiple county mayors in Middle Tennessee have announced that their mask mandates will be extended until August 29.
Counties making the extension so far are Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Robertson, Sumner Counties - each of which requires masks to be worn in public where social distancing of six feet cannot be maintained.
Wilson County was the first to extend. When Gov. Lee extended his order giving mayors the authority to issue mandates, by default, it extended Wilson County's order based on the way in which the mayor crafted his executive order.
The Sumner County mayor made his extension Friday, but Williamson, Robertson and Rutherford announced their decisions Monday.
Rutherford County Mayor Bill Ketron said the initial mandate made an impact. He explained in a press release that one week after the order was issued, the number of recovered persons was higher than the number of active cases, which was a first for the county - a trend that has remained stable since.
“We are continuing to assess the daily data released from the Tennessee Department of Health to assist us with making the best possible decisions for the health of our community,” Ketron said in the release. “By extending through the end of the month, we will be a few weeks into the school year and will be able to see how that impacts our numbers as well.”
Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson took to social media to make his announcement. Read more about the order here.
The mandate went into effect earlier this month and was set to expire on Monday. The Williamson County Emergency Management Agency shared the update on Facebook, saying the order had been extended.
The order does not apply to the following:
- Anyone inside a private residence or vehicle
- Anyone eating or drinking
- Anyone outside and is able to maintain appropriate social distancing
- Inside places of worship, unless required by the place of worship
- While voting or inside a voting site
- While exercising provided you maintain appropriate social distancing
Children younger than 12 years old and those with a medical condition who are unable to safely wear a face covering are not required to wear a mask.
