Tennessee governor Bill Lee said he intends to keep taking the same approach to mitigating the spread of the coronavirus, but added that the state won't have another shutdown, amid President Donald Trump's recent COVID-19 diagnosis.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Gov. Lee said the spread of COVID-19 comes down to the "personal responsibility of Tennesseans" and will continue to urge residents to follow CDC guidelines such as wearing masks, adhering to social distancing and washing their hands, FOX 17 News reports.
President Trump was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday after his doctor announced he was experiencing "no symptoms" of COVID-19. The president has since tweeted "Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life."
Gov. Lee said he is still taking the coronavirus seriously, but is advising Tennesseans not to fear it.
“I think we should take COVID-19 very, very seriously. We have from the very beginning of this pandemic," Gov. Lee said via FOX 17 News. “I think fear is not the right response for what we face in this country. I think concern and seriousness and action and appropriate steps, but fear is not something that we should use as a strategy to fight COVID-19.”
Gov. Lee added that he has yet to speak directly to Trump, but sent him a hand-written note.
Lee also reiterated that he doesn't plan to have another statewide economic shutdown, noting that the state has learned more about COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March.
"I don't ever want to shut down the economy again," Gov. Lee said via FOX 17 News. "We know a whole lot more about this virus today than in March."
Gov. Lee issued Executive Order 23, a "Stay at Home" order in April, which called on residents to remain at home unless participating in essential activities.
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