Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke signed Executive Order 2020-06, directing Chattanoogans to shelter in place to try to prevent local hospitals from being overwhelmed with coronavirus victims.
He said, “I know how disruptive and painful these actions will be for many, many Chattanoogans but the fact is that the coronavirus is still infecting far too many people in our city far too quickly.
“Medical experts are telling us already that this disease has the potential to completely overwhelm our local hospital systems in the next several weeks. The health of our neighbors is at stake. We don’t have any time to waste. ”
Mayor Berke issued this statement:
Friends,
In the last several weeks, we have seen the spread of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, accelerate. As of the beginning of April, three people have died -- including one child under the age of 5.
We grieve with these families.
Our community is stepping up in its response to this crisis. The Hamilton County Health Department will soon launch a drive-through testing site that will prioritize hospitalized patients and first responders. The City's Office of Economic Development is preparing a $2.5 million package of grants and loans to help businesses that are hit the hardest by the pandemic. Mayor Jim Coppinger and I launched our COVID-19 Joint Task Force to ensure greater collaboration and input from our local hospital leaders and medical experts.
However, local and national medical experts tell us that this disease has the potential to completely overwhelm our local hospital systems in the next several weeks. The health of our neighbors is at stake. We don't have any time to waste.
Today, I'm signing Executive Order 2020-06, which includes several additional steps we're taking to protect you and your family and keep our community safe. As of this weekend, I am:
- Directing everyone in Chattanooga to observe a comprehensive shelter in place order. This means that all Chattanoogans must remain in their homes for all but the most crucial activities -- going to work at an essential business, getting groceries, or receiving medical attention.
- Closing additional businesses and putting new health and safety requirements on businesses that must remain open.
- Closing child care centers and daycare centers to everyone except the children of essential personnel.
- Suspending access to parks and public spaces like the Walnut Street Bridge.
In the last 24 hours, multiple states, including Georgia, have put similar restrictions into place. I know how disruptive and painful these actions will be for many, many Chattanoogans. We have not come to these decisions easily, but the fact is that the coronavirus is still infecting far too many people in our city far too quickly. Our local medical experts tell us that our local hospital systems will quickly be at their capacity if we do not limit its spread.
In other words, the more we can contain the spread of COVID-19 in Chattanooga now, the sooner we can get back to normal.
I know that these are scary and unusual times. But I also know that our city is built on a spirit of collaboration and creativity. In the toughest of times, when Chattanoogans pull together, we can get through anything.
My office is glad to answer questions and do whatever we can do to help you navigate these new circumstances. Reply to this email, reach out to us at 311, or look for more updates at cha.city/covid. Remember, the most important thing you can do right now is stay home to limit your -- and other people's -- exposure to the virus.
I know you have a lot of questions about everything we're doing to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, and I want to answer as many of them as possible. Send your questions to me at mayor@chattanooga.gov and put "COVID QUESTION" in the subject line. I'll respond to them live on my Facebook page, starting this evening, April 2, at 5:30 p.m. You can also review frequently asked questions at https://cha.city/covidfaqs.
Thank you for all that you've done so far and all that I know you will continue to do to keep our city safe.
Sincerely,
Andy
Hours after issuing the “Shelter in Place” order for the city, Mayor Berke answered questions from citizens during a Facebook live session. Throughout the question and answer segment, he repeatedly defined what is and is not considered essential.
“We are at shelter at home,” said Mayor Berke. “You must stay at home unless you are participating in an essential activity or are working in an essential industry.”
Essential industries include those in the medical field, grocery stores, construction, transportation, and other much-needed enterprises. However, the mayor said these industries are still required to comply with social distancing protocols.
For instance, one viewer questioned why stores such as Home Depot are still able to be open, mentioning the large crowds those stores attract. Mayor Berke said that these stores should look to keep the number of people in their store low. He said that if crowds started to gather outside while waiting in lines, it would be up to the business to figure out what was to be done.
Mayor Berke said that the entire point of a shelter at home order was the keep people safe. And if their plumbing or other such parts of their house were not functional, then the order was not serving its purpose. Hence the need for hardware stores like Lowes to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several people asked the mayor about their ability to exercise or go outside while sheltering in place. He repeatedly told them that jogging or walking around the neighborhood was considered an essential activity.
“We don’t want you walking around or driving to go to a party or a friend’s house,” said the mayor. “But if you want to go for an exercise walk or jog, those are considered essential activities. Just keep a safe six-foot distance from other people as you do it.”
When it came to ensuring the safety of the homeless population in Chattanooga, Mayor Berke admitted it would be a challenge. He said that outreach workers from the city have gone out and given hand sanitizer and other items to the homeless, while also informing them about the new rules and regulations.
A few asked when he believed the shelter in place order would go away. A few minutes after Chattanooga enacted their shelter in place policy, Governor Bill Lee made a similar move for the entire state of Tennessee.
“I wish I could say that it was going to be soon, but I don’t anticipate that it’s going to be any time soon,” said Mayor Berke, citing the ever-climbing number of cases in large cities like New York and Nashville.