KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – Mayor Indya Kincannon has signed an extension of the city’s ‘safer-at-home’ order.

The order has now been extended through Monday, April 20. Mayor Kincannon originally instituted a safer-at-home order on April 1 that closes all nonessential businesses, urges residents to stay home when possible and encourages people to avoid gatherings in groups of 10 or more.

“Medical and public health professionals tell us that social distancing is working,” Mayor Kincannon said Monday, “By keeping these restrictions in place we save lives and set the foundation for economic recovery.”

City of Knoxville @MayorKincannon signs an extension to the #SaferAtHome Order, which keeps non-essential businesses closed & urges residents to stay home. #FlattenTheCurve https://t.co/soepITTods — City of Knoxville (@CityKnoxvilleTN) April 13, 2020

Kincannon said previously she will extend the order every week until a criteria to lift it is met.

Last week, Mayor Kincannon said the guidance she has received on when the safer-at-home order could safely be lifted includes:

New cases are consistently down,

Sufficient hospital capacity is available to handle coronavirus cases,

Testing is widely available.

“I plan to renew the Knoxville safer-at-home order. I just renewed it Monday and will continue to renew it every week … ” until the community reaches the criteria where the order can safely be lifted. Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon on April 9.

The state stay-at-home order expires on Tuesday and Gov. Bill Lee has only said the state is studying the data about the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 100 people.