Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) rejected the recommendation of White House Counselor Deborah Birx to close bars and limit seating inside restaurants during a joint press conference on Monday.
Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, made her recommendation to close bars and limit food indoors during the press conference, warning that Tennessee was on the verge of the rapid spread of COVID-19.
“It is at this very moment that we could change the trajectory of the epidemic before it fills up with what we call logarithmic spread, as we have seen across the South,” said Birx.
Shortly after Birx spoke, Lee said he would not close bars, limit indoor dining, or give county officials the authority to do so. Only a few areas can close deals without the approval of the governor.
“Beyond the regions that currently have restrictions, that is not a plan for us now. I have said since the beginning of this pandemic that there is nothing off the table, “Lee said.” I also said that we are not going to shut down the economy and that we will not. But I appreciate your recommendations and take them seriously. “
Birx also reportedly made his recommendations privately to Tennessee officials, including Lee, the Tennessean reported. He warned that the state could see an increase in cases as asymptomatic youth spread the virus without knowing it.
She said closing bars and limiting food helped curb the spread of the coronavirus in Arizona, which saw huge increases along with Florida and Texas.
Birx supported Lee’s plan on masks, which allows county mayors to impose their own mandates. Lee has not issued a statewide mask mandate. Birx said he did not believe a state order was necessary, but said he expected all counties to make wearing a mask mandatory.
The White House adviser said closing bars, limiting indoor food, and having all residents wear masks could have “as big an impact in declining new cases as what we had from the shelter in place.”
Tennessee has confirmed a total of 96,489 cases, including 2,553 since Sunday, according to state data. The coronavirus has caused 978 deaths in the state since the start of the pandemic.
Other states have closed bars, banned alcohol consumption in bars, or instituted rules that prohibit the sale of alcohol after a certain time. Kentucky announced it would close bars after Birx recommended that the state do it on sunday.
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