KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — On Monday, the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) released two regulations aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the community.
This comes after the Knox County Commission voted to transfer the Board of Health's regulatory power to the Knox County Health Department on March 29.
These regulations continue the face covering requirement and the curfew restrictions for restaurants, bars, event venues and similar establishments set by the former Board of Health, according to KCHD.
“While the path out of the pandemic is paved by community vaccination, some temporary restrictions remain necessary to ensure we maintain our progress,” said KCHD Senior Director and Public Health Officer Dr. Martha Buchanan. “I don’t take issuing these lightly and completely understand the intense weight this decision will place on me and my team, but I believe it’s the right thing to do.”
Information for both can be found on KCHD’s website.
KCHD said the face covering restriction does not have an expiration date, and the curfew restriction is set to expire when the Board’s similar order was initially set to expire, April 22.
“I’ve asked the Advisory County Board of Health to meet at the originally set time and date, Wednesday, April 21 at 5 p.m., to discuss these regulations,” Buchanan said. “While this board is now an advisory body, their guidance still serves an important role. I look forward to hearing their thoughts on the matter and believe it’s important we continue to have this dialogue in the public domain.”
KCHD said it is issuing these measures under the authority provided in the State of Tennessee’s Executive Order No. 77.