Nashville To Enter Phase 1 Of Reopening Plan Beginning May 11

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Nashville restaurants can begin reopening to diners on May 11, as part of Phase 1 of Nashville Mayor John Cooper‘s phased reopening plan for the city. Cooper made the announcement during his daily coronavirus task force briefing on Thursday (May 7).

“The goal is to get as gently back to work while managing the presence of the disease in our community,” Mayor Cooper said. “In setting a new policy response to a new disease, we don’t have all the answers. We are learning and adjusting. There will be difficult choices ahead. The next phase will be harder in many ways as we must continue effective and forced social distancing while restarting the economy.”

On Monday (May 11), bars that serve food and restaurants, as well as retail stores and commercial businesses can reopen at 50% capacity. This marks the first time Nashville restaurants have been open since March 20. However, live music is not allowed in restaurants and bars during Phase 1. Other businesses such as entertainment venues, bars that do not serve food, gyms and salons are to remain closed.

According to Cooper’s previously-announced “Roadmap for Reopening Nashville,” if Nashville sees a significant and sustained increase in the number of active cases during Phase 1, stricter social distancing measures and policies will be put in place again.

The Roadmap includes the following policies for Phase 1:

Retail and other commercial businesses may open with physical distancing maintained and at ½ capacity, cleaning of carts, explicit expectations for frequent hand hygiene and wearing of cloth masks by employees and patrons.

  • Screen daily all employees with temperature and respiratory symptom checks. Employees with temperatures of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit must leave the premises immediately.
  • Post information about health precautions for patrons, employees and staff (such as maintaining an appropriate physical distance while lining up for checkout). Automate doors, reduce the number of people using elevators, provide hand sanitizer to the extent possible.
  • Advise employees with any symptoms of illness to be tested and to stay home until they receive test results. Establish policies that make it possible for employees to isolate and quarantine.
  • Restaurants and bars serving food from a menu may open at ½ capacity maintaining strict physical distancing.
  • Screen daily all employees for respiratory symptoms and with temperature checks. Employees with temperatures of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit must leave the premises immediately.
  • Post information about health precautions for patrons, employees and staff (such as maintaining a distance while lining up for checkout). Automate doors, reduce the number of people using elevators, provide hand sanitizer to the extent possible.
  • Advise employees with any symptoms of illness to be tested and to stay home until they receive test results. Create policies that make it possible for employees to isolate and quarantine.
  • Physical distancing must be maintained in kitchens and dining rooms.
  • Bar areas must remain closed.
  • Live music shall not be permitted.
  • Self-service food and shared condiments are not permitted.
  • Require that restaurants clean all surfaces after single use by patron.
  • Recommend use of disposable menus.
  • Employees required to wear cloth masks.
  • Take-out alcohol sales will remain. Can serve alcohol at tables.

During this period, other social distancing measures should remain in place:

  • Except when performing essential services, those over age 65 and those with high risk factors should remain safer at home.
  • Work from home should continue whenever possible.
  • Cloth masks should be worn in public
Jessica Nicholson
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