Health Directive No. 18, which takes effect Friday (No. 20), is in keeping with a downward trend that now shows the number of new COVID-19 cases below 100.
“We have loosened restrictions a bit more this time,” said Dr. Bruce Randolph, medical officer of the Shelby County Health Department.
“We are opening things up as much as we can. It is about as close to ‘normal’ as we can get for a while.”
The directive lifts restrictions on businesses, particularly restaurants. Food and beverages may be served until midnight, two hours past the present health directive, which will expire as the new directive takes effect.
Capacity restrictions for dine-in services are all eliminated, but seating must maintain the six-foot social distancing arrangement.
At a bar, customers may be seated and served as long as there is fixed seating for groups of no more than two people. Each set of two seats at the bar must be separated by six feet.
Cigar and hookah lounges will have the same limitations as restaurants.
All businesses should prohibit indoor smoking or vaping due to the airborne transmission risk of the virus. But, if indoor smoking is allowed, it must comply with Tennessee law on age, time, and place requirements.
“We had 84 new cases on Wednesday is exciting news, to be sure,” said Randolph.
“The weather has put us under a kind of stay-at-home order because of the icy streets. People are not going to bars because businesses are closed, and it’s not safe to go out. We’ll see what happens when the weather lets up.”
Randolph said the restriction in movement because of this week’s winter storms may slow down the transmission of the virus. However, staying inside can be tricky because ventilation may be an issue.
Vaxxing takes a weather hit
All vaccine appointments were canceled due to this week’s icy, unsafe conditions.
All Shelby County Health Department facilities, along with the following COVID-19 sites, will remain closed through Saturday, Feb. 20:
- Appling Inspection Station– 2355 Appling City Cove, Memphis, TN 38133
- Pipkin Building– 940 Early Maxwell Road, Memphis, TN 38104
- Germantown Baptist Church– 9450 Poplar Avenue, Germantown, TN 38139
- Southwest Tennessee Community College Whitehaven Center– 1234 Finley Road, Memphis, 38116
- CSFP Warehouse – 1020 South Bellevue 38106
All appointments scheduled for Tuesday (Feb. 16) through Saturday (Feb. 20) will be rescheduled to a future date.
Next week, when vaxxing sites are expected to re-open, a new site will open in Raleigh as the result of a partnership between the health department, City of Memphis and Christ Community Health Services.
Vaccinations will be offered at Greater Imani Cathedral of Faith, 3824 Austin Peay Highway.
The partnership is designed to bring COVID-19 vaccinations to underserved, pre-dominantly African-American communities in North Memphis, according to Dr. Bill Adkins, senior pastor of Greater Imani.
“Greater Imani Church is a servant to our community,” Adkins said. “We are excited and thankful to be able to help our brothers and sisters in the African-American community. We hope other churches will also extend the opportunity to our people.”
Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said communities of color have been hit hard during the pandemic.
“Health equity” must be a top priority.
Health Department Director Alisa Haushalter said the Shelby County Joint Task Force is committed to providing vaccines all over the county.
The total number of cases is 86,606. There have been 1,441deaths. The total number of COVID-19 tests administered is 1,198,088.
Questions and concerns may be directed to: www.shelby.community.
