Montgomery County, TN – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #24, today in order to extend the wearing of face masks by all residents in Montgomery County.
This emergency order includes a declaration of public health emergency and comes after continued discussions with the local health department and emergency services directors, Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts as well as several Middle Tennessee Mayors. Exceptions to the mandate are listed in the latter part of this news release.
The extension to Emergency Order #21 states 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 Montgomery County, Tennessee.
Face coverings shall be worn within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County and Clarksville government facilities, including Clarksville-Montgomery County School System; public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained and within publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.
The order also requires any business open to the public to post a sign, which can be found on the Montgomery County website, requiring masks on all public entrances.
The mandate will go into effect at 12:01am December 11th, 2020, and is set to expire at 11:59pm on December 29th, 2020. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order #63 gives authority for county mayors to issue emergency orders regarding mask mandates.
The last 14-days (11/25/20-12/8/2020), of data for Montgomery County reveals the following:
- An average of 103 new cases per day
- As of 12-8-20 Montgomery County had 783 active COVID-19 Coronavirus cases.
- 1,441 new cases out of 8,135 tests
- 18 Hospitalizations
- 15 COVID-19 Coronavirus Deaths
- 206 new School Age Cases (age 5-18)
During the previous 14 days (11/11/20-11/24/2020), Montgomery County had:
- 663 positives out of 5,494 tests
- An average of 81 new cases per day
- 175 positives out of 6,950 tests.
- 10 Hospitalizations
- 14 COVID-19 Coronavirus Deaths
- 156 new School Age Cases (age 5-18)
Exceptions for wearing face-coverings include the following as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order #54:
- Within one’s residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
- By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger;
- 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;
- By 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; or
- 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.
The Montgomery County Government web site has a host of COVID-19 Coronavirus related information, to include a COVID-19 Coronavirus dashboard, videos, signage, advice and previous mandates. You can also call 931.648.5787 for questions.
