Holiday Season Is Here, Citizens Asked To Use Precautions,
County Masking Order Extended Through December 5th
November 27, 2020 (PARIS, TN )– With the Holiday Season officially upon us, gatherings to celebrate the season will be planned and county officials are asking the community to remain vigilant and insist their gatherings be held with a few extra precautions this year to remain safe as possible.
Hospitalizations continue to remain high here locally and regionally. Henry County Medical Center reported 15 COVID-19 inpatients on Wednesday from Henry County and 4 inpatients from out of county.
Mayor Brent Greer is extending the county masking requirement for another seven days through December 5th. Mayor Greer said, “ The virus continues to impact our county. Thankfully, we are seeing a reduction in the spike, with 4 positive cases reported on Wednesday by the Dept of Health. It is hopeful we will get a Coronavirus vaccine soon for our county residents. The Tennessee Department of Health is making plans to get the new vaccine out to our healthcare professionals and first responders by the end of the year. This will be extremely helpful for the protection of our frontline workers. As my term as county mayor comes to a close on Monday, November 30th, this will be my last executive order and it will be County Mayor Ridgeway’s decision moving forward to keep a masking requirement in place. I feel the masking order has made a difference in the data we see compared to other counties our size without an order. I would like to ask the community to continue to support our healthcare professionals, our first responders , schools, businesses, and government officials in the fight to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The Center for Disease Control has issued new guidelines for the upcoming holiday celebrations. The CDC is strongly urging families planning to congregate, do so with 8 or less persons, bring your own food, open windows while indoors to increase ventilation, and consider hosting an outdoor meal. We can all do our part by:
• Wearing a mask or face covering when you leave the house or visit a gathering. Be sure to keep one in your car in the event you forget. Encourage your friends and family to do the same.
• Keeping 6 feet of distance in public, while also wearing a mask or face covering.
• Continuing to disinfect high-touch surfaces. Remember to wipe down your cell phone, doorknobs, remote controls and other frequently used objects.
- Washing your hands regularly throughout the day. Wash your hands for 20 seconds and use hand sanitizer if water and soap are unavailable.
The Henry County Health Dept continues to provide free COVID testing Monday – Friday from 8:30AM to 10:30 AM by appointment only. Over the past seven days, the county averaged 83.3 tests per day with an 26.1% positivity rate.
