CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #24 on Wednesday, extending the mandate for all Montgomery County residents to wear face masks in public in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The order includes a declaration of a public health emergency and comes after continuing discussions with the local health department and emergency services directors, City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts and several other mayors in Middle Tennessee.
“Once again, I offer my full support to Mayor Durrett’s mask mandate, and the City of Clarksville will do all we can to spread the important message that wearing masks and distancing is important,” Mayor Pitts said.
The latest order requires Montgomery County residents and visitors to wear cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the coronavirus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action.
Face coverings must be worn in these areas:
Public areas of commercial business establishments.
Public areas of all Montgomery County, City of Clarksville and Clarksville-Montgomery County School System facilities.
Public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least 6 feet cannot be maintained.
Public areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least 6 feet cannot be maintained.
The order also requires businesses open to the public to post a sign requiring masks at all public entrances. The sign can be found on the Montgomery County website, https://mcgtn.org
The mandate will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 11, 2020, and is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2020. Governor Lee’s Executive Order #63 allows local county mayors to extend their mask mandates.
The last 14 days of data for Montgomery County reveals:
An average of 103 new cases per day.
783 active COVID-19 cases.
1,441 new cases out of 8,135 tests.
18 hospitalizations.
15 COVID-19 deaths.
206 new cases among children 5-18.
Exceptions for wearing face-coverings, as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order 54, include:
Persons within one's residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire.
Children 12 years of age or younger.
Persons who have trouble breathing because of an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering.
Someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance.
While eating or drinking.
While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household.
While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household is substantially maintained.
In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk.
While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged.
For accurate, up-to-date information on COVID-19 topics, go to:
The Montgomery County COVID-19 Dashboard at https://bit.ly/2XTOXNM
The TN Health Department Portal at https://covid19.tn.gov
Dial the TN Health Department COVID-19 Hotline at 1-877-857-2945.