Tenn. governor enacts COVID restrictions on social gatherings, forgoes mask mandate
Gov. Lee's order comes a day after he confirmed that his wife Maria had tested positive
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tennessee's Republican governor on Sunday announced new restrictions on social gatherings to curb the spread of the coronavirus, but stopped short of a mask mandate.
Instead, Gov. Bill Lee signed an executive order limiting public gatherings to 10 people. Places of worship, weddings and funerals, however, are exempt.
"We are in a cold, cruel phase of this pandemic," Lee said in a public address. "It will get worse before it gets better. I know you are tired. But we have got to double down."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lee’s executive order does not require masks, despite pleas from frontline health care workers experiencing the highest new cases per capita in the country.
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Lee called the state "ground zero" in the COVID-19 battle and urged Tennesseans not to gather with people outside their immediate households during the holidays. His message comes just a day after Lee confirmed that his wife, Maria, had tested positive for COVID-19.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He tested negative, but will remain in quarantine at the governor's residence.
Tennessee is one of a dozen states without a mask mandate. Instead, local counties have the option of implementing their own restrictions.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lee originally was scheduled to take reporter questions after his statewide address, but his office later postponed that until Monday without explanation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.