CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The mask order for Montgomery County has been extended for another three weeks.

On Friday, County Mayor Jim Durrett signed an order extending Emergency Order #21, which requires that all residents wear face masks in public.

The mandate will continue through 12:01 a.m. Nov. 20.

What the mask order says

The Montgomery County order requires cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action. Face coverings have to be worn within all publicly accessible areas of commercial business establishments; persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County and City of Clarksville government facilities, including Clarksville-Montgomery County School System; public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained and within publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained. The order also requires any business open to the public to post a sign that can be found on the Montgomery County website, requiring masks on all public entrances.

Numbers getting worse

The mask order was first imposed July 20, then was slimmed down on Sept. 8 and applied only to service businesses through Sept. 29, when that order was lifted.

Since that time, there’s been a significant increase in local active cases. The latest data for Montgomery County reveals the following:

  • Active cases have more than doubled from 225 at the end of Sept. to 532 cases by Oct. 26.
  • By Sept. 30, there were 46 total COVID-19 related deaths, and today, there are 57 COVID-19 related deaths.
  • The average daily case rate doubled from 22 in Sept. to 41 by Oct. 26.
  • The latest 14-day average is 50 new cases per day.
  • Cases hit a record high this weekend with 102 new cases reported on Oct. 25.

Exceptions to mask order

Exceptions for wearing face-coverings include the following as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order 54:

  • Within one’s residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
  • By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger;
  • By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
  • By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance;
  • While eating or drinking;
  • While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person’s household;
  • While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person’s household is substantially maintained;
  • In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk;
  • While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged; or
  • While in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged.

COVID-19 tests are provided free of charge by the Montgomery County Health Department weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane.

The Montgomery County Government web site has a host of COVID-19 related information, to include a COVID-19 dashboard, videos, signage, advice and previous mandates. You can also call 931-648-5787 for questions.