KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knox County Health Department said in a statement Wednesday that Dr. Buchanan was aware of the mayor's intentions to end the mask mandate but wishes it would have stayed in place longer.
"We understand the interpretation is that the Mayor had the authority," said the statement from KCHD.
"Dr. Buchanan would have liked the face covering regulation to continue a bit longer as discussed at last week’s Advisory Board of Health meeting. However, we believe the more important thing to focus on is that though we are in a different place than we were last winter, COVID-19 is still very present in our community and people are still being hospitalized and dying because of it. Our focus should be on keeping each other safe and reducing the spread. Our community can do this by continuing to follow the Five Core Actions and getting vaccinated."
Knoxville's mayor said the city will still require masks in its facilities and at large events on public properties.
"I am thankful to see that more than 40% of people in Knox County have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Things are moving in the right direction and we are constantly reevaluating our local situation in accordance with CDC guidance," she said. "In the meantime, remember that getting vaccinated is the best way to overcome this pandemic.”
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Original story
Taking his cue from Gov. Bill Lee, Knox County's mayor said Tuesday afternoon he was ending a county mask mandate effective at day's end.
Starting at midnight, Jacobs said that there no longer will be a Knox County mask mandate, a release from Jacobs' office states.
With his move, Jacobs didn't address the question of Knox County Health Department Director Dr. Martha Buchanan's authority to set public health policy about such a mandate.
The Mayor's Office consulted with the Law Department in making the move, according to spokesman Mike Donila.
"It is important to note that any private business or organization that desires to keep a mask requirement in place for entry will be allowed to do so and customers are expected to abide by and respect those decisions," Jacobs' release states.
Lee said Tuesday he was ending statewide COVID-19 public health orders and signed Executive Order 80 to address economic and regulatory functions on Tuesday.
The order also ends the local authority to issue mask requirements in 89 of the state's 95 counties directed by the state health department, according to a release from the governor's office.
However, it extended the portion that allows the six independently-run health departments to "issue additional orders or measures related to the containment or management of the spread of COVID-19, which may permit to a greater degree, or restrict to a greater degree, the opening, closure, or operation of businesses, organizations, or venues in those counties or the gathering of persons.”
Lee requested those six counties lift any remaining restrictions on businesses or on mask usage by the end of May, when Executive Order 80 — which includes that clause — is set to expire.
“This is a significant development that demonstrates we are another step closer to getting back to normal. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Buchanan and her team for the uncompromising work they have done throughout the pandemic," Jacobs' announcement says.
The Knox County Department of Health had said after Lee's announcement it was waiting for guidance from the Knox County Law Department before considering any changes to the current mask mandate.
Restrictions on operating hours for local businesses were lifted last week.
The mask mandate was the last requirement related to COVID-19 still in place in the county.
Jacobs argued with more than 40 percent of those 16 and older now having at least one COVID-19 shot, the presence of the virus is now sharply down.
It's time for people to take another step toward normalcy, Jacobs said.
"Thankfully, now they can begin returning to normal business and get back to focusing on the many important programs they oversee everyday—like childhood nutrition, diabetes prevention, and environmental health to name just a few. It is still everyone’s personal responsibility to protect themselves and their families from the virus. We should all be understanding and respectful of how people choose to do that as we move forward.”
Questions about mask policies for students and education staff at Knox County Schools should be directed to school administrators of the Knox County Board of Education, the mayor's statement reads.