Shelby County mask mandate to take effect Friday morning

The Shelby County Health Department issued a new countywide mask mandate Wednesday.

“After going back, talking to the folks that need to be talked to, I am here to recommend that we pass a universal mask mandate in the county for at least 30 days to give our hospitals at least a fighting chance," said Dr. Michelle Taylor, director of the department.

The mandate goes into effect Friday, Aug. 20, at 7 a.m. and requires masks in all indoor public settings for people over the age of 2, regardless of vaccination status. Those settings include bars and restaurants, common areas of hotels, multi-residential buildings, and private clubs. Similar to previous mask mandates, masks may be removed at restaurants, bars and other eating and drinking establishments by patrons when they are seated.

Masks can also be removed for certain activities that require their removal, such as while one is engaged in cardio activity inside a gym, certain grooming activities (such as facials), or theater performances.

The mandate does not overrule Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's executive order allowing parents to opt their children out of masking in schools. 

The reasoning behind the health directive is the strain on the hospitals, which are at a "critical point," Taylor said. Waits in emergency rooms are "off the charts," sometimes at 36-48 hours, she said. 

Warning from hospitals:COVID patients set to double in weeks. Hospitals urge Memphis leaders to mandate masks

The Shelby County Health Department expects to receive a letter from the heads of Memphis-area hospitals’ emergency departments saying the collapse of the healthcare system in the county is imminent, Taylor said.

On Tuesday, City of Memphis Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen told the Memphis City Council that the heads of Memphis-area hospitals' emergency departments had sent him a letter Tuesday that asks the Shelby County Health Department to enact a mask mandate immediately to stem the surge of COVID-19 infections. The hospitals could soon begin triaging patient care “based on their probability of survival,” he warned.

Last week, Memphis Fire Department Chief Gina Sweat told the public that the fire department was so stretched that if someone needs an ambulance, they may not get one. 

When the Shelby County Health Department first enacted a mask mandate on July 3, 2020, case rates began to fall after July 14, 2020 eleven days later, blunting the first wave of cases.

Taylor also said that the county needs to consider six-foot distancing within indoor establishments and needs to consider that mass events without six-foot distancing could cause a continued increase in the infection rates.

“If we’re talking about saving lives, looking at the data, really understanding what’s going on in our community and that we have a lot of people in our community that are sick and a lot who are dying and some who are suffering in the hallways of our hospital it’s really important to understand that doing that mask mandate and doing six foot distancing indoors is going to help us get back to where we want to be," Taylor said. 

Currently, Shelby County's seven-day rolling average is 638 cases per day. Of the total active cases, 24.9% are among children 0-17 years old. 

Health officials say that masking is an important tool in slowing the spread of COVID-19. 

"When you have a situation...where both the person who already has the disease and someone who doesn't have the disease both have masks on, it is quite effective at preventing the transmission," said Dr. Stephen Threlkeld, co-chair of the infection control program at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis.

As to fluctuating guidance from health authorities about masking, Threlkeld made the comparison to a fasten seatbelt sign on a flight. You must have it on when the light is on. But when they turn the fasten seatbelt sign off, they still recommend you keep your seatbelt on. And you have to adapt as the flight continues and turbulence occurs. 

"So what we have to do, is we have to blunt the curve again. We have to get the total number of cases down. Because if you get the total number of cases down, you will get the unvaccinated cases down, you will then get the hospitalizations down on the deaths and the utilization of all of the healthcare facilities down."

Dr. Shirin Mazumder, infectious disease expert at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, said masking is "critical" in limiting transmission of the virus. 

"All of us need to take personal responsibility in exercising measures to stay safe such as wearing a mask, washing hands regularly and social distancing," Mazumder said. "However, the most important tools we have to help us end the pandemic are the COVID-19 vaccines. They are safe, effective and our only hope of stopping this insidious virus. These vaccines save lives and keep people out of the hospital. We are pleading with the community to join us in doing the right thing and get vaccinated."

Leaders in Shelby County, Memphis react to mask mandate news

Wednesday, the Shelby County Commission indicated in committee its support of a countywide mask mandate, with eight commissioners voting in favor of a resolution in support of one. Three commissioners, Mick Wright, Amber Mills and Brandon Morrison, voted against.

The commissioners also moved forward a resolution opposing Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's executive order that allows parents to exempt their children from mask mandates in schools. The same three commissioners voted against. Both resolutions will receive final votes Monday. 

“We have rules in our society for the greater good for every one of us,” said Commissioner Mark Billingsley. “...I would encourage all the citizens of Shelby County to get vaccinated, wear their masks and not get into large gatherings.”

Commissioner Tami Sawyer shared how her parents, both of whom are immunocompromised, were diagnosed with COVID-19 last week, with her mother having to go to the emergency room — which was overcrowded.

“This is personal. The most important person in my life was in the hospital for three days,” Sawyer said. “…All I can say is thank you for standing up today and announcing that you are going to put a universal mask mandate forward.”

City of Memphis Chief Communications Officer Ursula Madden said in a statement that, "Based on data, what we are hearing from doctors, it seems like a wise decision." 

Mayors in Barlett, Collierville, Arlington react to news of mask mandate

Bartlett Mayor Keith McDonald did not expect a mask mandate and is "not sure that it's going to go with what the governor said."

McDonald said since Gov. Bill Lee issued an order requiring personal parental choice in schools, he "expects that's his desire for everyone."

McDonald would like to see everybody wearing a mask but he said not everyone will abide by the mandate, although masking and the COVID-19 vaccine are "key" to slowing the pandemic and helping hospitals.

"If I had a car wreck or heart attack I'm not sure the hospital's going to have a place for me," he said. "I would strongly suggest people wear a mask indoors, not just for their sake but for the sake of others around them until we get this surge under control, at the very least."

Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner said he believes wearing a mask is a personal choice. 

"I choose to wear one myself because of the rate of the Delta Variant of COVID-19 spreading in our communities," Joyner said in a written statement. "My hope is that our community members will make the right choice to protect themselves and others by wearing a mask in public places and getting vaccinated if they are eligible."

Arlington Mayor Mike Wissman was shocked to hear the health department will institute a countywide mask mandate.

"Oh my gosh, really? That's news to me," Wissman said.

He said a mandate is "not needed at this point."

Wissman fears people's tolerance and hositility toward the pandemic are at a new level and a mask mandate will mostly hurt businesses.

"It's frustrating," Wissman said. "Businesses have been struggling this whole time, for employees and for patrons, and now some will refuse to go to businesses because of this mandate."

Wissman also said the mandate could hurt vaccination efforts by symbolizing the mask as a "crutch."

"I'm afraid this is going to backfire more than it will help," he said.

Restaurants respond to mask mandate 

Servers at many restaurants throughout Memphis have been wearing masks while at work already.

Wally Joe, the owner of Acre Restaurant in East Memphis, said his employees have never stopped wearing masks, whether vaccinated or not.

That’s also been the case at downtown coffee shop Comeback Coffee.

“As a high volume indoor location, we are in full support of folks wearing masks. Throughout the pandemic, our staff has been wearing masks. At a time of higher transmission in Shelby County, having these types of mandates in place is comforting for those of us in the service industry,” said Comeback Coffee owner Hayes McPherson.

The staff at Restaurant Iris, Second Line and Fino’s has also already been wearing masks.

“We are ready to be partners with our city or county, whether we agree or not,” said owner Kelly English. “We wear masks for other people. I don’t want to live in a mask, but if that’s what we need to do to keep small businesses open, count me in.”

And it’s not just independent restaurants that have had employees masked, so have many of Memphis’ larger chains.

Central BBQ earlier this year had allowed vaccinated employees to not wear a mask, but they changed that policy several months ago due to the rise in the Delta variant cases.

“It was for the safety of everyone,” said Central BBQ COO Brandon Ellenburg.

McPherson with Comeback Coffee also expressed some concern about the enforcement of the new mandate.

“It feels like our state and local governments haven’t learned from the past year and half," McPherson said. "The enforcement of these mandates and lack of organization fall on the shoulders of small businesses, especially when there is a considerable amount of vagueness and poor communication when it comes to these mandates.

"Restaurants, service folks, and small businesses end up bearing the majority of responsibility when dealing with folks who don’t necessarily agree with our local government. Many businesses are having to act as the enforcers and communicators more often than they should. The lack of support in this has been irritating to say the least but we are happy to do what we can to do our part in helping our county.”

Samuel Hardiman contributed to this article. 

Katherine Burgess covers county government and religion. She can be reached at katherine.burgess@commercialappeal.com, 901-529-2799 or followed on Twitter @kathsburgess.