Governor Lee orders Tennesseans to stay at home

Governor Bill Lee is ordering all Tennesseans to stay at home unless they are carrying out essential activities. The order went into effect immediately and remains in effect through April 14, Gov. Lee announced Thursday.

“The month of April stands to be an extremely tough time for our state as we face the potential for a surge in COVID-19 cases,” said Lee. “Every Tennessean must take this seriously, remain at home and ensure we save lives.”

Lee said the decision was made after analyzing traffic data over the past few days that showed an “increase in citizen movement across the state.”

“COVID-19 is an imminent threat, and we need you to understand that staying at home isn’t an option, it’s a requirement for the swift defeat of COVID-19 in Tennessee,” Lee said. “Tennesseans must remain at home unless engaging in essential activities.”

Lee added he has issued local law enforcement directives with respect to enforcement. Businesses will be given an opportunity to comply with the orders before further enforcement action is taken. 

The new stay-at-home order builds on Lee’s Executive Order 22 issued on Monday which required non-essential businesses to close and now “restricts the movement of people.” Click here to read Executive Order 22 and here to read Executive Order 23.

Stay up to date on the COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee at thebledsonian-banner.com and see the April 9 issue of The Bledsonian-Banner.