MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Governor Bill Lee plans on ordering five million masks for Tennesseans as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
The plan was presented to state lawmakers Wednesday and involves using Amazon to distribute the masks across the state. Other details are still being worked out.
“I never heard a timeline on when the masks would be in,” Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis) said.
Rep. Parkinson supports the plan but worries it won’t happen fast enough. The governor’s Safer at Home order ends next week, and many Tennessee businesses could reopen May 1.
“What we’re talking about is basically putting the cart before the horse,” Rep. Parkinson said. “All of these things should have been done prior to making a statement as to when you’re going to open the state up.”
Currently, Memphis’s Safer at Home order extends through May 5.