Shelby County Health Department health officer Dr. Bruce Randolph said he has received many questions about face coverings. They are required for employees and strongly encouraged for customers. It also gives businesses the right to force customers to wear masks.

Safety recommendations for individuals in the health directive are not a requirement, but safety measures for businesses are required. Recommendations say “should” in the directive, according to Randolph.

Director Alisa Haushalter said people should wear masks whenever they are around people not from the same household.

”We must create an environment where masks are the norm,” she said.

The county has sufficient supplies of masks and received another shipment from Gov. Bill Lee’s office.

Shelby County will not make any recommendation on Phase 3 of the Back to Business plan until at least June 8. 

There is a significant increase in social interaction in Phase 2, and a holiday, which contributes to the minimum of 21 days before moving to Phase 3.

The five recommendations made will help Shelby County get there, Haushalter said.

She said people must continue to social distance, wear masks and get tested, even if their symptoms are mild. The community must continue to isolate and quarantine for the time recommended, according to Haushalter. She also said that seniors and those with chronic illnesses need to be protected.

She said initially the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said only to test people who were symptomatic which contributes to a low number of corrections testing.

Haushalter said the Shelby County Commission resolution that expands public health capacity will help with contact tracing, enforcement and epidemiology. This will allow for 141 new positions. The positions are posted and can be accessed on Shelby County Health Department website.

The new positions are needed as many volunteer employees and city employees must get back to their regular jobs, Haushalter said. The positions will only be posted for a week, she said.

The health department plans to hire 60 people for contact tracing. Interviews will begin next week. They are looking for a place for that team to be housed.

Haushalter said those who hire must represent the community they serve. She wants the staff to be diverse and encourages people who speak more than one language to apply.

According to Haushalter, 65% of people have recovered from coronavirus in the county.

She said the successes are a testament to collaboration, but that there is still much work to do.