With only 25% of the state’s population fully vaccinated, Gov. Lee’s move contrasts new CDC guidelines issued Tuesday
“We are in the very bottom tier of states in the proportion of our population vaccinated,” Professor William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, told CNN. “Covid continues to be a serious public health urgency throughout the state. The virus is still spreading. It’s still putting many people into the hospital.”
Lee tweeted he is removing the authority from local officials to issue mask mandates in Tennessee’s 89 counties that don’t have independent health departments, and he urged officials in the other “Big 6 counties” of Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox and Sullivan — which have their own health departments — to remove any and all remaining mask mandates and business restrictions before Memorial Day.
“We have never had a statewide mask mandate and I am removing authority from local officials to issue mask requirements,” Lee tweeted. “This is about trusting Tennesseans, using the tools we have at our disposal to move on from crisis management and back to life and back to business.”
Lee said upcoming executive actions will address economic and regulatory issues.
Nashville said earlier Tuesday it would keep its indoor mask mandate in place, even as it lifts other restrictions on May 14, according to the Tennessean.
In the two weeks ended Sunday, Tennessee reported almost 21,000 new cases — more than 1,000 a day — according to CNN data. About 150 Covid-19 deaths were reported.
Southern states lag other states in vaccinations
Even if you’ve been vaccinated, you should avoid large indoor gatherings, the CDC said. And for the fully vaccinated who do choose to attend a crowded outdoor event, such as a live performance, parade or sporting event, wearing a mask is still recommended.
Georgia has administered just over 57,000 doses per 100,000 residents, and Mississippi has given more than 52,000 per 100,000. In Alabama, where new Covid-19 cases have jumped more than 10% in the past week over the previous seven days, less than 51,000 doses have been administered per 100,000 residents, according to the CDC.
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday extended his Covid-19 emergency order for another 60 days, saying it was necessary to keep schools open and protect Floridians from being required to produce a vaccine pass “as a condition of participating in everyday life.”
