Stay at home order issued for Tipton County

After Gov. Bill Lee mandated a stay at home order for Tennesseans, county executive Jeff Huffman issued a companion order for Tipton County.

The declaration, issued Thursday, falls in line with the governor’s order for citizens to stay home unless engaging in essential activities. It is effective immediately.

“It is imperative, and I cannot stress this point strongly enough: Tipton Countians must stay home if at all possible,” Huffman said in his declaration. “There is community to community transmission of this disease now. This virus is spreading rapidly here and citizens should only leave home if providing an essential service and should only leave home to obtain goods/services from essential service.”

Essential activities include:

• Health care and public health operations
• Human services operations
• Essential infrastructure operations
• Essential government functions
• Food and medicine stores
• Food and beverage production and agriculture
• Charitable organizations and social services
• Religious and ceremonial functions
• Media
• Gas stations and transportation businesses
• Financial institutions and insurance entities
• Hardware and supply stores
• Criticial trades
• Mail, post, shipping, logistics, delivery and pick up services
• Educational institutions
• Laundry services
• Restuarants for off-premises consumption
• Supplies to work from home
• Home-based care and services
• Residential facilities and shelters
• Professional services
• Critical manufacturing, distribution and supply chain
• Hotels and motels
• Funeral services
• Outdoor recreation areas (following CDC guidelines)

If you’re not sure if your activity or employment is considered essential, the governor’s office has provided a full list in Executive Order 22.

Lee said businesses deemed essential by this order should take every step to equip employees to work from home and following health and CDC guidelines to the greatest extent possible.

Mason is the only Tipton County town, and the only West Tennessee town, with a curfew.

Huffman and the city and town mayors declared a state of emergency on March 22-24, after Lee made a statewide declaration. The county and city mayors have continually updated these declarations to fall in line with Lee’s declarations and executive orders.

Huffman further encouraged the public to follow the advice of medical professionals regarding hand washing and social distancing.

Local law enforcement agencies have been given the authority to enforce the order. The Leader is working to update Tipton County on how each agency plans to do so.