Buffet, dancing restrictions eased in latest Shelby County health directive

Shelby County Health Department issued Health Directive No. 20 Wednesday, further lifting restrictions on restaurants and encouraging vaccinations for all eligible residents.

The newest directive will go into effect at midnight Saturday.

Here are some key changes:

• Emphasizes the eligibility of everyone 16 and over for the Pfizer vaccine and 18 and older for the Moderna vaccine;
• Requires landlords to provide notice information to tenants about the availability of resources;
• Opens buffets, but requires sanitary measures;
• Permits dancing indoors if dancers maintain 6-feet separation from those who are not of the same family or close contact group; and
• Event planners need to submit a plan through the portal if the event involves more than 500 people.

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The health department said the COVID-19 virus remains a threat but these revisions are deemed allowable now as the transmission is low.

“We are pleased to be able to make these modifications to the Health Directive. We will carefully monitor viral activity over the next 30 days to determine if more preventive measures can be lifted,” said Interim Health Director La Sonya Hall.

“If community transmission remains low, we will welcome the opportunity to lift even more restrictions and return to more normal activities.”

The health directive states if Shelby County does not enter into another surge over the next 30 days and case numbers are stable, the next health directive will provide recommended guidance instead of a mandatory approach.

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Dr. Steve Threlkeld, co-chair of the infection control program at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, said it is difficult to know the impact of easing restrictions.

"We're at as turbulent a time to know what to do as we have probably been in throughout this," he said. 

Threlkeld said case numbers have dropped since the beginning of the year but the past two weeks have seen an increase and cases can rise quickly, as the Memphis area saw last summer.

He pointed out there are a large number of unvaccinated people in Shelby County and other places, like Michigan, are seeing new waves of the virus. 

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The health department has stressed the need for people to exercise personal responsibility and continue to take infection prevention measures like masking, social distancing and frequent hand washing. Health Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph has said on multiple occasions that just because people are allowed to do something, doesn't mean they should. 

Threlkeld said relaxed restrictions could lead to increased cases, but many people already do the types of things the new health directive allows, they just would not do them in public places like bars and restaurants. 

Ultimately, Threlkeld said the best way to avoid an increase in cases is to vaccinate more people. 

For now, it's unclear what the result of the new health directive will be.

"The simple reality that we have to admit is that we don't know," Threlkeld said.