Metro’s Case Spike Is Bad News For Reopening Plans

A recent spike in cases is bad news for Metro Nashville’s reopening plans. But local leaders say the city is still in good shape.

The city announced five new deaths and an additional 131 cases of the coronavirus in the past 24 hours.

Mayor John Cooper says Nashville has more cases than he’d like but that the city is still far from overwhelmed.

“Last week, I was here and I was saying I really wanted to keep these cases to an average of 80 if we could,” Cooper said during a morning press briefing. “Well obviously, we’ve been trending a little … above 80, but we are not at the 200, 300, 400 that has led to disasters in other cities.”

Cooper and local health officials have taken a more cautious approach than the state and refrained from announcing a date to reopen the economy, even as surrounding counties reopen restaurants and gyms, with restrictions.

Metro based plans on a 14-day decrease in the average number of cases, in addition to low fatalities and hospitalization rates.

Cooper says much of the city’s progress will be based on resident willingness to wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.