Governor Lee: No mask shaming during pandemic

Governor Bill Lee says wearing a mask to help protect others against COVID-19 should not be a political issue.

“This mask right here is not conservative, it’s not liberal. Shaming someone for wearing a mask or shaming someone for not wearing a mask it’s just not something that Tennesseans ought to be in the business of doing,” the governor said during a Tuesday news conference.

That warning came with the news of 1,500 new cases of the virus in Tennessee and 18 new deaths along with Nashville Mayor John Cooper ordering metro police to start issuing citations to people not wearing masks resulting in a $50 fine.

Speaking of masks, Lee announced that Ballad Health and Eastman Chemical Company have donated thousands of face coverings to be distributed to fans at Bristol Motor Speedway for Wednesday’s All-Star Race.

“NASCAR has been a great partner to us and they’ve worked with us to develop what we believe will be a safe opportunity that can be a model for the country to watch how it is that we can return to safe live sports in the fall,” said Lee who is scheduled to be in attendance at the event.

(PHOTO: The Associated Press)