NASHVILLE, Tenn. — State of Emergency guidelines in Tennessee will stay in place until Dec. 29, after Governor Bill Lee extended them Friday night.
He signed Executive Order 67, which extended regulations giving health and local leaders the ability to better respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of those regulations includes giving county leaders the power to issue mask requirements.
The order also allows pre-license, graduate and doctoral-level mental health professionals to provide telehealth services, as long as they are supervised. Several state leaders have emphasized the importance of expanding health services, including mental health services, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It also added language that is meant to relieve some of the capacity strain on bedside care in medical facilities and avoid staffing shortages. It made medical staffing more flexible, to help treat more people.
The State of Emergency guidelines were set to expire on Friday.