Shelby County Eases COVID Restrictions, Adjusts Rules For Masks

The Shelby County Health Department, led by newly-appointed interim director Dr. LaSonya Harris Hall, has announced updates on the county's rules on facial coverings and eased some restrictions for local businesses, WMC reports. The new directives go into effect Wednesday (March 17).

Under Health Directive Number 19, restaurants can offer dine-in service until 1 a.m., with customers allowed to stay to finish a meal or pay until 1:30 a.m., rather than stopping service at midnight. The two-hour limit for food service has also been removed. Additionally, tables can now seat 8 people instead of 6, but everyone seated together must be from the same family unit or close-contact group.

Also under the new directive, bartenders are encouraged to wear a face shield of doubled-up mask while serving multiple groups, but it is not required. These establishments are also no longer required to maintain contact tracing records.

In addition to the new health directive, the county announced changes in the directive for face masks. Most notable is that anyone who cannot medically wear a facial covering or mask is not required to do so, and anyone declining to wear a mask on this basis is not required to provide medical proof. Face masks are required for everyone else, WREG reports; however, the department said scarves, ski masks, and balaclavas are not proper substitutes.

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