Dear Citizens of Sumner County,
I will not extend the local Executive Order which required the use of masks in public places. This Order is set to expire today at 11:59 p.m. Central Daylight Time.
The Executive Order went into effect on July 7th. At that time, the number of cases in our county were rising quickly and I asked for your cooperation to help slow the spread of this deadly virus. The goal was to not only slow the spread of the virus but reopen our businesses and schools and to avert the devastating negative impact on our local economy. As a result of your efforts and cooperation, the rate of infection of COVID-19 cases in our community has been substantially reduced.
While the mask mandate through an Executive Order will not be extended, I strongly encourage everyone to continue to practice social distancing, wear face coverings, and sanitize your hands and surfaces. This virus is still present so it is imperative that we stay vigilant and continue to use precautions which protects public health and enables our economy and education systems to thrive.
In consulting with local health care officials, they stressed the importance of continuing to take precautions in order to prevent the virus from spreading, especially with flu season approaching. Sumner County Health Director, Hal Hendricks states, “The Health and Safety of people in Sumner County remains our top priority, and we encourage everyone to continue practicing good health habits that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our community including wearing a mask and maintaining social distance when out in public, washing hands frequently with soap and water and staying home when sick.”
All Sumner County Government buildings, including public school buildings and facilities, will continue to require the use of a mask when entering and conducting business and attending events. Please be aware that local businesses may require that you use a face covering when entering their business and I ask that we all respect their requirements. I would also ask that we each respect everyone’s individual decision regarding face coverings.
I want to thank each of you for doing your part to keep our community healthy and safe and working to keep our local economy strong.
God Bless,
Anthony Holt