FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 11, 2020

CONTACT: Joan Carr

Phone: (901) 222-9010

Cell: (901) 691-5704

Shelby County Health Department Provides Reopening Guidance 

Organizations and Businesses May Submit Reopening Plans for Review 

SHELBY COUNTY, TN – The Shelby County Health Department is now reviewing and approving reopening plans from businesses, community groups, and other organizations, including schools and academic institutions, in advance of Phase III of the County’s Back-to-Business framework.

Throughout the COVID-19 shutdown, the Shelby County Health Department has been advising businesses and other organizations about their plans for reopening. We have compiled resources and helpful FAQs on this web page: www.shelbytnhealth.com/healthdirectives. Organizations may submit proposals for reopening, with their specific plans by sending them to this email address: covid@shelbycountytn.gov. Or they may use this helpful web form link, which allows them to enter their information and upload documents as attachments.

Shelby County Health Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph will review the plans and gather any additional information needed, including making a site visit if warranted. The plans will then be presented to the Back-to-Business subcommittee, where they may be approved with or without modifications or denied with rationale.

The Health Department will work with organizations to help them make any needed modifications of their plans in order to ensure the safety of employees, customers and the general public.

To continue to move forward with reopening, we must all do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, workplaces and homes. We ask each of you to continue:

• Practicing social distancing – keeping at least six feet away from others
• Wearing a mask or facial covering while in public, at work, or around persons from outside of your household
• Washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds
• Getting tested – we have significant testing capacity in Shelby County, but it is being under utilized
• Isolating and quarantining – isolating when positive for COVID-19 and quarantining after exposure to COVID-19
• Protecting our most vulnerable populations:
• 
  
  • Nursing/care home residents
  • Seniors
  • Individuals who live in congregate settings such as jails or prisons
  • Individuals with chronic health conditions

We all must take the individual actions necessary to control the spread of the virus in order to move our community forward in reopening our society and businesses.

For more information about COVID-19 and community testing, please call the Shelby County Health Department’s COVID-19 hotline (833-943-1658) or visit the Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage: shelbytnhealth.com/coronavirus.

-End-