Economic Reopening Plan Released for Metro Nashville-Davidson County
On April 23, Mayor John Cooper announced the official release of the Roadmap for Reopening Nashville. The plan is reflective of ongoing collaborative efforts between members of the Tennessee Major Metros Economic Restart Task Force “to get our communities back to work safely”, said Mayor Cooper.
“Consumer confidence lies at the heart of our economy and a safe rollout must be data-driven, not date-driven”, said Mayor Cooper. Therefore, the phase-oriented plan is dictated by the following metrics:
- 14-Day trend of new cases - sustained reduction or stability in new cases for 14 days
- Public Health Capacity - contact tracing resources
- Testing Capacity
- PPE and Hospital Capacity
After a 14-day assessment, a different area of Nashville’s economy will reopen with each respective phase. In the adverse, if any of the metrics are negatively impacted, the reopening process will be slowed. The reopening plan includes a grid, detailed and organized by industry; however, here is a brief summary of each phase:
Phase One:
- Retail businesses will open at ½ capacity, restaurants will have dine-in services at ½ capacity and bar areas closed
- Employees will be screened daily and will be required to wear cloth face coverings and clean every surface after every use
- Other public gathering will be limited to 10 people or less
- Routine and elective medical/dental procedures for those under 70 years of age will resume
- The following will remained closed: bars & entertainment venues, retail & commercial businesses; nail salons, hair salons and massage parlors, fitness gyms, playgrounds, tennis &basketball courts, and sports venues.
Phase Two:
- Restaurants and retail and commercial businesses may open at ¾ capacity
- Nail salons, hair salons and massage parlors will be open by appointment only (no walk-ins) and limited to 10 people (staff and customers included)
- Playgrounds, tennis courts and basketball courts will open with social distancing
- Public gatherings (religious services, weddings and meetings) may resume, with a limit of 50 people and strict physical distancing
- Bars & entertainment venues, fitness gyms and sports venues will remain closed in phase two
Phase Three:
- Restaurants and retail and commercial businesses may open at full capacity
- Bars may open at 50% capacity; however, standing at the bar is prohibited
- Entertainment venues (including tours, museums and theaters) will open at ½ capacity
- Live music is permitted in the bars
- Fitness gyms will open with employees screened daily and wearing masks and cleaning equipment after every use
- Playgrounds, tennis & basketball courts will open with physical distancing
- Sports venues will remain closed
Phase Four:
- Gatherings over 100 are permitted
- Bars and entertainment venues will open at full capacity
- Sports venues will open with adherence to physical protocols and best practices
- Phase Four marks the first time work from home becomes optional and the first time wearing cloth masks becomes optional, but recommended.
“Businesses are preparing for reopening…they have their own protocols, their own sense of safety measures that are appropriate for their employees and customers,” said Rob McCabe, Chair of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and member of the Tennessee Major Metros Economic Restart Task Force. “The good thing about our phased plan…is that all sectors get to participate…[restaurant and bar owners] are very responsible people that are interested in the safety of their associates…and the good experience of their client and manager reputation.”
For more information on the Tennessee Major Metros Economic Restart Task Force, visit here. For more information on current Metro protocol regarding COVID-19, visit here.