Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced a sweeping “Safer at Home” order Sunday aimed at limiting community spread of COVID-19 in Davidson County.
The order requires all non-essential businesses to shut, beginning on Monday, March 23, and for residents to remain in their homes for all but the most necessary activities for the next two weeks until April 6.
The order states:
Safer at Home Order: What You Need to Know
To further combat the spread of COVID-19, the Metro Public Health Department has issued a Safer at Home Order — directing all residents of Nashville and Davidson County to stay inside their homes, and immediately limit all movement outside of their homes beyond what is absolutely necessary to take care of essential needs.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Residents of Metro Nashville and Davidson County are required to stay inside their homes unless they are engaged in certain “essential activities.” On those occasions when you are out of your home for necessary tasks, stay at least six feet away from others.
YOU CAN …
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- Go to the grocery, convenience or warehouse store
- Go to the pharmacy to pick up medications and other healthcare necessities
- Go to medical appointments (check with your doctor or provider first)
- Go to a restaurant for take-out, delivery or drive-thru
- Care for or support a friend or family member
- Take a walk, ride your bike, hike, jog and be in nature for exercise — just keep at least six feet between you and others.
- Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian if necessary
- Help someone to get necessary supplies
- Receive deliveries from any business which delivers
YOU SHOULD NOT …
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- Go to work unless you are providing essential services as defined by this Order
- Visit friends and family if there is no urgent need
- Maintain less than 6 feet of distance from others when you go out
- Visit loved ones in the hospital, nursing home, skilled nursing facility or other residential care facility, except for limited exceptions as provided on the facility websites.
Safer at home is a stricter form of social distancing. There are some differences. Safer at home means:
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- Stay home (stay unexposed and do not expose others)
- Only go out for essential services
- Stay six feet or more away from others
- Don’t gather in groups
The other concepts from social distancing will continue to apply when you are out shopping or walking or going to the doctor. These include washing hands, using hand sanitizer, disinfecting surfaces, not going out if sick, and staying at least six feet away from others at all times.
The following essential activities will remain open:
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- Federal and state offices and services, including post offices and airports
- Essential Nashville government functions including law enforcement, transportation, and businesses that provide government programs and services
- Food and beverage: grocery and beverage stores, farmers markets, food banks, catering, convenience stores selling food, agriculture, food processing, feed mills, and other businesses that directly support the food supply
- Health care, mental and behavioral health, and biomedical research and businesses that directly support the healthcare industry including health information technology, staffing and supplies
- Sanitation and waste removal businesses and services
- Energy, water, and sewage businesses and services
- Pharmacies and medical supply businesses, and other businesses that directly support the drug and medical supply pipeline
- Vehicle fuel, support, service stations and businesses
- Banks, savings and loans, insurance companies, accounting businesses, and other business that directly support the insurance and financial services sector
- Legal and judicial services
- Laundromats/laundry/cleaning services
- Home and business repair, hardware supply
- Warehousing and storage
- Construction and facilities design businesses
- Product logistics, transport, and distribution businesses
- Parcel transportation and delivery businesses
- Veterinary and pet supply business and services including agricultural services and the caring and feeding of all livestock and farm animals
- Home and business cleaning and maintenance services
- All businesses which rely upon deliveries may continue, including florists
- Internet and telecommunications systems (including the provision of essential global, national, and local infrastructure for computing services, business infrastructure, communications, and web-based services)
- Certain other business and services the Health Department in coordination with Metro Legal and the Office of the Mayor determines are essential for the continued safety and security of Davidson County.
In addition:
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- Daycare and childcare business will remain open, but will prioritize children of parents working in essential services.
- Hotels and commercial lodges will remain open, but must end entertainment or dining services in restaurants or group settings. Pick-up and room-service food services may continue.
- Essential services listed above may continue as long as appropriate distancing is physically possible and encouraged. These businesses will adhere to CDC guidance on social distancing and hand hygiene in the workplace, including encouraging work-from-home and allowing employees when possible to work on-site in shifts to optimize social distancing in the workplace.
- All essential services, especially grocery stores and pharmacies, will make best efforts to establish hours when only available to senior citizens or otherwise vulnerable populations.
The order also includes a ‘FAQ’-style questions-and-answer section with additional information on issues like mail and package delivery and road construction.
Read the full order at: https://www.asafenashville.org/safer-at-home-order/
Watch the mayor’s statement:
How can I get a message to the mayor because they were closing our private gym here in the Terrazzo building because of what the mayors said in his order which does not specifically cover the gym I use for my own sanity on a daily basis. Can you please help me with whom to contact regarding a specific open policy for our gym and perhaps others that live in a facility that includes the gym? I also have a letter I wrote specifically to this regard.