On Monday, The Daily Beast reported that Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) is brushing off pleas from coronavirus task force official Dr. Deborah Birx to close bars throughout his state.
"Birx recommended in a private meeting with Lee and other officials and during a press conference that the state close down all bars and indoor dining," reported Madeline Charbonneau. "'Beyond the regions that currently have restrictions, that’s not a plan for us now,' Lee said moments after Birx spoke at the conference. 'I've said from the very beginning of this pandemic that there’s nothing off the table. I've also said that we are not going to close the economy back down, and we are not going to. But I appreciate their recommendations and we take them seriously.'"
On Monday alone, the Tennessee Department of Health reported over 2,500 new coronavirus cases and 11 deaths. Birx has identified Nashville in particular as a hot zone.