As the number of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee continue rising, state officials are again stressing the importance of wearing masks.
On Wednesday, the state reported 1,806 new cases of coronavirus. Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey told reporters that the growth cannot be attributed to just more testing.
She said the state is seeing a growth in cases in rural counties, and this shows people are going out and about without taking precautions.
“This is not the time to get back to normal,” Piercey said. “We are all experiencing what we call quarantine fatigue. But I can guarantee you, this virus is not getting tired.”
Piercey said people need to continue to use face coverings and keep social distance if they want to stop the spread.
“You’ve seen pictures of people crowded into spaces, whether it’d be graduations or bars, and it looks exactly like it would have looked a year ago,” Piercey said.
Davidson and Shelby counties have mandated the use of masks in public spaces. But, Gov. Bill Lee says his administration is not considering a statewide order.
Instead, Lee says he’s working to clarify whether smaller counties have the authority to do so on their own.
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