WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – Williamson County mayor Rogers Anderson explained requiring masks wasn’t a rushed decision.

“Over the weekend we were having conversations with all of our city mayors and our attorneys, city managers, and all the city people you try to get on board,” said Anderson.

Together, they decided COVID-19 is a problem too big for one person to tackle. Everyone in the county must do their part. The mandatory mask order, announced Monday, is similar to the one issued by Mayor John Cooper in Davidson County.

“We know the mask doesn’t stop the virus, it contains it,” Anderson said, “If you’ve got it, and you’re asymptomatic at least you’re not spreading it.”

Anderson admitted, no one likes to issue these types of orders but says he’s thinking about the community as a whole.

“It’s very painful when businesses are not open. We have jobs to consider. We have families to consider,” Anderson said. “We’re trying to get schools open here in 30 days. We’ve got moms, we’ve got dads calling into us to say do what you can to help slow this virus down.”

In an effort to do just that, masks must be worn in publicly accessible areas of commercial business establishments along with areas of business where there is direct interaction. You must also mask up in public outdoor areas where 6 feet of social distancing isn’t possible.

While violating this order is a class A misdemeanor, Anderson hoped it doesn’t come to that.

“Our preference is for our law enforcement community to encourage and remind people that this is the law now,” he said.

If we all work together, Anderson believes with a little help from above, the community will be stronger for it. “My prayer is God heal this county,” he said, “And, heal our people.”

The mandated mask order goes into effect Tuesday at midnight.