With the spread of COVID-19 appearing to weaken, the state’s Economic Recovery Group announced Friday, May 15, it will lift capacity restrictions on restaurants and retail in areas not covered by local directives, such as Shelby County.

Instead, those businesses will be asked to focus on social distancing best practices effective May 22 as part of state-issued guidelines to facilitate the safe reopening of larger, non-contact attractions on or after May 22. 

Restaurants and retailers opened last week at 50% capacity and were to be allowed to increase capacity once the state met COVID-19 minimum requirements.

New guidelines with the Tennessee Pledge are to be released early next week. Six counties – Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox and Sullivan – will be allowed to continue following their own reopening plans created in consultation with state and local health departments, according to a release.

“Tennesseans have worked incredibly hard to do their part and help slow the spread of COVID-19 so that our state can begin to reopen. Thanks to their continued efforts, we’re able to allow restaurants and retail businesses to operate at greater capacity and large attractions to open in a safe and thoughtful way,” Gov. Bill Lee said in a statement.

“Our state continues to see downward trends in case growth and meets the White House criteria for a phased reopening. This progress has been hard-won, and we can build upon it by reopening while also maintaining common-sense safety measures like mask-wearing and good hygiene. By taking the Tennessee Pledge, our businesses can reopen in a way that protects the health of their customers and employees, and protects the livelihoods of hard-working Tennesseans.” 

The new guidance for large attractions applies to those businesses that can effectively practice social distancing with strong measures to protect both employees and customers, including racetracks, amusement parks, waterparks, theaters and dinner theaters, auditoriums, large museums and more.

Restrictions on social gatherings of more than 10 people remain in place for the time being. Updates to restaurant guidance will include lifting capacity restrictions and allowing for increased service as long as social distancing guidelines are adhered to, including 6 feet between tables. 

The updated guidelines come as Tennessee continues to meet the White House criteria for phased reopening in states, according to the statement.

The state is reporting a downward trajectory of documented cases within a 14-day period for new cases as a percent of new tests, which dipped from about 13.8% on May 1 to 3.8% May 14.

Another downward trajectory is being reported by the state in the total cases as a percent of total tests, from 6.4% May 1 to 5.5% May 14.

Tennessee’s hospital capacity also remains “sufficient” to handle patients as the state works toward a goal of testing 2% of the population each month.

The Department of Health is reporting 16,970 cases out of 309,756 tested with 290 deaths, 1,454 hospitalized and 9,280 recovered. Shelby County is reported 3,595 cases and Davidson County is at 3,795 cases, with both seeing daily increases.

State Sen. Jeff Yarbro, a Nashville Democrat, said while he has seen some “positive developments” in the state’s response –primarily the willingness of people to take on social distancing – he has been disappointed in the “lack of coordinator, communication and clarity” coming from the Governor’s Office.

“I think the governor thinks he’s being business-friendly by only releasing suggestions about how companies should reopen. But, frankly, a lot of businesses just want to know what the best thing to do is and to receive some clear instruction on the things they really need to be doing at this moment,” Yarbro said.

The Southern Christian Coalition accused the governor of punishing workers while protecting business owners.

Joe Sheeran, state organization for the coalition, said in a Friday statement the governor has said there will be no consequences for business owners who ignore the Tennessee Pledge, yet workers who refuse to show up at an unsafe workplace would lose unemployment and could face criminal charges for trying to collect benefits.

The Tennessee Department of Labor’s website contains a link for business owners to report employees who decline to go back to work during the pandemic, according to Sheeran.