Elected officials are leading residents through reopening business operations, and we wanted to hear how you’re feeling about the plans.

Last week, we asked you to share your opinions about re-opening + hundreds of you weighed in (by far the most responses we’ve ever gotten about anything).

Twitter vote
A total of 52.5% of people want businesses to open in some way. And 46.5% of people said they do not think business should re-open on May 1.

Last week and over the weekend, Gov. Bill Lee and Mayors Andy Berke + Mayor Coppinger gave updates on their reopening plans.

Gov. Lee and Mayor Coppinger had a plan to reopen starting this week, while Mayor Andy Berke was working with mayors from Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville on a plan. Lee also said that some areas, including Hamilton County, would be in charge of their own plans.

So, initially, the city of Chattanooga planned on having its own guidelines for reopening restaurants + retail.

But Sunday afternoon, Mayor Berke said city leaders don’t get to make their own call on this. So restaurants + retail in both Chattanooga + Hamilton County will start reopening this week.

Mayor Coppinger

Friday afternoon Coppinger joined the health department’s Director of Environmental Health Bonnie Deakins to discuss guidelines for opening of restaurants + retail this weekend.

“We want to be very cautious as we do it,” Mayor Coppinger said.

Effective on Mon., April 27, Hamilton County restaurants can reopen, and Wed., April 29, retail can open.

Coppinger said it’s “extremely important” to continue social distancing.

Quoteworthy

“Only visit the places that are necessary. People with underlying conditions — every single fatality in this county has been the result of underlying conditions. If you’re in a high risk group that doesn’t mean you should be out there, you should still be at home protecting yourself from this virus. We gotta continue our due diligence to make sure we’re protecting ourselves and each other.” — Mayor Jim Coppinger

Director of Environmental Health Bonnie Deakins outlined the following guidelines for restaurants.

Deakins said restaurant employees should:

✅ wear face coverings and glove, can be cloth face coverings

✅ report any symptoms of illness immediately

✅ wear face coverings and glove

✅ avoid work if ill

✅ follow daily sanitation protocols

✅ space tables 6 feet apart

✅ limit seating to six people per table

✅ use social distancing in waiting areas

✅ keep bars closed

✅ sanitize all front-of-house contact surfaces every two hours

✅ use disposable menus, keep buffets closed, avoid shared condiments

✅ have proper training for all employees

You can watch Mayor Coppinger’s news conference here.

Mayor Berke

Friday afternoon, Berke said he’s been working with mayors of the state’s three other major metropolitan cities — Memphis, Knoxville + Nashville — and a task force on the “Herculean” task of restarting the economy.

But Sunday, he had new information. He said he learned the city wouldn’t be making its own decisions about restaurant re-openings.

Berke said:

“Yesterday I learned that despite public and private assurances otherwise, the city of Chattanooga would not be making its own decisions for the reopening of restaurants. This has understandably caused a lot of confusion for a lot of people in our city.

First things first: Chattanooga will obey the law, and I will do everything possible to ensure its success. I want every restaurant to make payroll and I want to protect as many Chattanoogans as possible from contracting the coronavirus.”

Berke also said Sunday in a statement:

✅ He wants to restart the economy safely, and workers must feel confident that going back to work won’t threaten their or their families’ health. Customers need to feel safe too, he said.

✅ He doesn’t think the state’s plan accomplishes that, and Berke said it doesn’t account “for the growing number of positive cases across the state, and especially in Southeast Tennessee.”

✅ He also said it goes against the warnings of health experts and doctors and lacks groundwork to ensure restaurant owners and managers understand their responsibilities and have the supplies.

Berke said he wanted to make two pledges:

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that Chattanooga businesses have the advice and personal protective equipment they need to open safely.

Second, our City government will continue to reach out and look for ways to help those affected by the ongoing pandemic and economic stoppage.

In the meantime, no matter what is happening in our economy, Chattanoogans should remember: you have a responsibility to keep yourself and those around you safe. Wear a mask when you go into the public. Wash your hands frequently. Stay six feet away from other people. Only go places that are observing best practices."

Gov. Lee

Here’s a quick rundown of what Gov. Lee said, according to a news release from his office, on Friday about reopening most of the state.

✅ Tennessee Pledge is the name of the plan, which encourages “best practices for industries + continued social distancing.”

✅ Restaurants + retail are the first industries to get guidance from the plans.

✅ Tennessee restaurants are able to reopen Monday at 50 percent occupancy.

✅ The state’s retailers are able to reopen on Wednesday at 50 percent occupancy.

✅ State officials recommend that employees in both industries wear cloth face coverings and that business owners follow federal guidelines for hygiene and workplace sanitation standards.

✅ Lee called the approach “careful” and “measured,” and said data shows that the state’s curve of COVID-19 infections is hitting a plateau.

✅ He also pointed to increased testing + economic losses as reasoning for moving ahead with reopening.

Readers react

“A purely economic decision in response to a scientific threat doesn’t seem right. The people I’ve seen out in Chattanooga aren’t practicing social distancing now. So my confidence in keeping folks safe is low once we lift current restrictions. I will continue to shelter in place until scientific evidence is strong.” – Beverly H.

“Businesses should have never been forced to close. In which case they should open immediately.” – B. Johnson

“It should open, if we wait for numbers to completely subside our economy will never recover.” – Dawn C.

“The public is getting mixed messages from our leaders! Get your act together!!” – Diane E.

“YES, with proper and intelligent social distancing, hygiene practices, adequate personal protective equipment for workers, and other parameters in place!!! Otherwise, economy dies and ergo we all!!!” – Ellen V.

“All businesses should reopen on May 1st. Keeping people unemployed and businesses closed will simply push people out of Chattanooga to cities that have lifted or reduced restrictions.” – Erik L.

“We should definitely wait longer. There is no way this pandemic is not going to get worse when these states reopen on the first. The fact that asymptomatic carriers can pass the virus to others means we have no clue who has it and who doesn't. Also hardly anyone in Chattanooga was tested and I know several people who probably had it but never got their results back. It's just a bad idea all around.” – Jacqueline G.

“I agree with everything other than trails, parks and Walnut Street Bridge being closed. I think they should reopen for the health of the people. Exercise such as hiking, walking, running and cycling are considered essential activities under the Mayor's order, and trails and greenways are the safest place to do this--and forests are healing. People can be told to wear masks and respect distancing, and, if a park or trail is crowded, people should avoid. And just because a trail parking lot is full doesn't mean the trails are. For example, if the Stringer's Ridge lot is full, that's 40 cars or maybe 80 people--but spread across 7 miles of trails. That's about 11 people per mile.” – Jim J.

“No. Science rules the day. We must listen to it in order to reopen our country successfully.” – Kevin D.

“I think we should wait longer. Our numbers are still going up and I don't think we're over the worst of it yet. For the sake of our most vulnerable, we need to work together to stay in and keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible.” – Kim O.

“We have to test more people before we re-open.” – Laurie B.

“No. Hamilton County cases haven't been on a downward slope for 14 days and haven't really slowed down. People are still dying. We are just looking for a second surge with more deaths if we open back up prematurely.” – Lily Q.

“I think at the very least single proprietors should be able to open. I think the other businesses need to weigh the effect on their employees and the current benefits they are receiving. Oh, and the parks should have never been closed.” – Nancy H.

“Re-open May 1. Hell, re-open today.” – Pepe S.

“Cases in TN are declining and our economy is declining even faster! Reopen May 1st.”– Rick E.

“Wait. We have not had enough testing to really have a clue! I had COVID19. I managed to stay out of the hospital so that was good... but it was an ugly experience I would not wish on anyone.” – Sarah M.

“Listen to medical professionals! My great-grandmother and great-uncles died in 1918 in the Spanish Flu pandemic. Let's learn from history and science.” – Sandee C.

“Businesses and governments should remain closed Until the COVID-19 situation is over. I don’t believe any life is worth risking for hair, nails, massages, workouts, etc. or any nonessential businesses. Stay safe/stay home and do not put the lives of others, including workers, at risk.” – Sherry J.

“Open May 1 but in a very slowed controlled way. And monitor closely. People at risk still stay home.” – Stephanie W

“Based on the lack of testing in our area and the remaining unknowns about those infected, we should hold off at least another 2 weeks. Plus, school children are not going back to their classrooms so what will parents do if they go back to work? Pay for childcare on top of everything else.” – Susan W

“If you've been able to survive shopping in grocery stores you should be able to survive anywhere. Take precautions! Open businesses!” – Tim S