NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has announced he has extended the existing statewide ‘Stay-at-Home’ order requiring citizens to stay home unless they are carrying out essential activities.

The previous order was expected to expire Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. but today Gov. Lee extended the order to Thursday, April 30.

Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) made a statement regarding the Governor’s extension:

“I appreciate once again Governor Lee’s flexible and data-focused approach in extending his Safer at Home executive order. The numbers are improving and the curve is flattening. This is exactly why an extension is needed. As we begin to prepare for a new normal, we must be certain the peak is behind us. Only then can we safely ensure the health of both our people and our economy. We must beat back both the virus and the economic disruption it has created. Governor Lee has set us on a path to do so.”

The previous order was enacted as data showed an increase in citizen movement across the state during the COVID-19 pandemic and showed that some citizens in the state were not listening to state recommendations. The order shut down non-essential businesses across the state and helped to curb the number of people leaving their homes.

This is a breaking story and will be updated shortly with more information. Stay tuned to News 2 and WKRN.com for the latest updates.