Unmasked employees and visitors are officially barred from Nashville’s government buildings. That’s according to a new executive order from the mayor’s office, which requires anyone “inside any building or indoor space that is owned, managed, or leased” by Metro to wear a face covering.
“The health and well-being of all Metro employees and the residents who visit our facilities is of paramount importance,” Mayor John Cooper said in a statement. “Executive Order No. 7 is an important tool in our city-wide response.”
The order exempts Metro employees who work alone in an office, as well as children under the age of two, older kids who can’t safely wear a mask and adults whose health or safety would be jeopardized if they wore a face covering. Others may also request exemptions on a case-by-case basis.
The mayor’s office says Metro facilities will have masks on hand to distribute to visitors who don’t have their own face coverings, as long as supplies last. The Metro Public Health Department has also announced that it’s partnering with Hands on Nashville to hand out free cloth masks at drive-thru centers on Friday and Saturday.
Masks will be available both days from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hartman Park Community Center, Bellevue Regional Center, Madison Community Center and Smith Springs Community Center.
As restaurants and retail stores begin to reopen in Nashville, the health department has mandated that all employees who interact with the public or can’t practice social distancing with co-workers wear face coverings. Customers, however, are not required to don masks. Mayor Cooper is encouraging them to do so, anyway.
“I want to remind everyone to continue wearing face coverings in all public settings, keep a safe distance from others, and frequently wash your hands,” he said. “A coordinated response is the best response, so we must remain united in our efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.”
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