KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox County Board of Health voted unanimously on a recommendation to limit social gatherings indoors to 25 or fewer people, in 900 square feet of space. Since the recommendation is nonbinding, it does not carry the same authority as a mandate.
The board wants everyone to know that keeps people at a six-foot distance, something people should already be following because of the five core actions.
Its purpose is to help the University of Tennessee control concerns about students gathering in restaurants, bars and in off-campus areas. Officials have reported 600 active COVID-19 cases and 2,012 people in isolation. They have also moved students outs of a dorm hall to make more space for isolations.
The board also voted 4-3 on a motion to rescind a 10 p.m. curfew on bars in the county. Three board members voted not to pass the motion, but four members voted to pass it.
However, the motion still failed because they needed a majority for it to pass — five votes. They were one vote away from passing the motion. James Shamiyeh, Lisa Wagoner and Maria Hurt voted not to pass it.
They also voted not to expand the curfew to include other kinds of bars and restaurants that allow people to bring their own drinks. Three members voted to approve the expansion, four voted against it.
They met Wednesday evening and spent much of the meeting discussing how to manage bars and restaurants serving students after a 10 p.m. curfew on bars. Some board members suggested closing businesses in the area around the University of Tennessee, while others talked about rescinding the curfew and focusing on educating people about COVID-19 instead.
Board members also said that they could allow the regulation to expire and bars to continue serving after 10 p.m., then health officials could step in later when the situation is more severe.
"Putting something in place for a week then letting it expire, I worry about the whiplash and trust from the community," Martha Buchanan said, the director for the Knox County Department of Health. "I'm not sure how positive that would be."
Maria Hurt, a board member, said that Chancellor Donde Plowman was reaching the limit of what university officials could do without consequences to UT and the local community, so she reached out to the board for help.
"She could send everyone home, but that comes at a cost not only to UT but also to businesses in the community," she said.
They said that if UT officials decide to move the semester entirely online to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it would impact local businesses as students leave campus.
They also voted to approve a new set of rules on how board meetings will be held and how members should prepare for the meeting.
After a public forum request last week, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs also said that public library computers will also be available for use.