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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tipton County will be one of many counties across Tennessee that will be allowing restaurants to open their dining rooms on Monday.

This is the first time customers will be allowed inside restaurants since health officials began battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

This information is according to a pledge from Gov. Bill Lee, which he says is not a mandate. There will be no reinforcement of the guidelines the pledge lays out.

Under this pledge, restaurants can only operate under 50% capacity, tables must be 6 feet apart and all customers must be screened with basic questions about COVID-19 symptoms.

“To me, it’s a good thing,” one Tipton County resident told WREG. “Everybody needs to bring the economy back up and keep getting back to normal.”

Gov. Lee says more than 400,000 people filed for unemployment within the past week in Tennessee because of the pandemic.

According to the governor, the state would lose nearly $5 billion in revenue if businesses remain closed.

Shelby County is one of six counties not included in this order because of the number of cases in the area.

Later this week, retail stores will be allowed to open under similar guidelines.

Gov. Lee says he will look over the guidelines for reopening gyms and church services later this week.