COVID-19 was first identified in Davidson County March 7, 2020 and the Board of Health declared a Public Health Emergency on March 15, 2020. Since then the Metro Public Health Department, in consultation with the Mayor’s Office and with the cooperation and support of other sectors in the Metropolitan Government, has sought to minimize the impact of this potentially deadly disease on the citizens we all serve.
The Metro Public Health Department undertook a series of interventions intended to mitigate the spread of the virus by limiting contact among unaffiliated groups of people. These interventions continued, with modifications, as long as they were the best option available for the protection of the public’s health. Recently, Order 14 from the Interim Chief Medical Director and Twelfth Amended and Restated Order 10 from the Interim Chief Medical Director were issued on April 16, 2021 to protect public health.
Vaccines for COVID-19 began to arrive in late 2020. Vaccines have been available to all adults for six weeks, allowing time for immunity to develop. Vaccines are now widely available to all eligible citizens aged 12 years and older. More than 40 percent of all Davidson Countians have received at least one dose of the vaccines.
We are in the vaccination phase of our public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The proper public health intervention in such circumstances is to encourage everyone to get the vaccine and exercise reasonable precautions particularly while indoors in order to protect themselves, their loved ones, and other members of their community.
Based on considerations contained in the Roadmap, the stable case numbers in Nashville and Davidson County, increased availability and acceptance of vaccines by our citizens, and improved compliance with the Interim Chief Medical Director’s order on wearing cloth face coverings or masks, social distancing, and hand hygiene, it is appropriate to further ease restrictions at this time. Upon issuance and effectiveness of this Order 15, the only restriction remaining in place in Nashville and Davidson County will be Amended and Restated Order 8, Cloth Face Coverings or Masks issued on April 8, 2021.
Accordingly, this Order is being issued rescinding Order 14 from the Interim Chief medical Director issued on April 16, 2021 and amended on May 7, 2021, and Twelfth Amended and Restated Order 10 from the Interim Chief medical Director issued on April 16, 2021. Upon this Order becoming effective, Order 14 as amended, and Twelfth Amended and Restated Order 10 no longer have effect.
This Order 15 from the Interim Chief Medical Director is hereby issued and effective at 5:00 a.m. CDT on May 14, 2021.
Gill C. Wright, III, MD, FAAFP, MMM
Interim Chief Medical Director