NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Restaurants and other businesses that serve alcohol in Nashville and Davidson County are now required to close by 10 p.m.

On Tuesday, Mayor John Cooper announced he directed the Metro Public Health Department to draft a new order requiring restaurants and businesses that sell alcohol to close by 10 p.m. in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, especially in downtown Nashville.

The new order will not affect drive-thru and take out services.

Councilman Freddie O’Connell said he has heard concerns from several of his constituents about downtown becoming a hotspot while others are pushing back wanting life to go back to normal.

But, O’Connell thinks this is a time that city leaders need to act aggressively to deal with the public health crisis.

“This is about adapting, this is about some of it is a hard sacrifice that we are going to make. I mean, it’s hard sacrifices that I know our family has made as schools closed in the spring. It’s doing things differently and it’s about making sure we protect other people, right? It’s not ‘hey gosh, I’m so tired of being cooped up at home I’m gonna go out with my friends and part.’ It’s right now, the attitude has to be ‘you know what? 2020 is going to be a really hard year,’” said O’Connell.

Nashville is still in the modified Phase Two of its reopening plan for the “foreseeable future,” according to Nashville Mayor John Cooper.

“The numbers we are seeing make it clear we will not be able to leave our modified Phase Two,” said Mayor Cooper.

MORE: Mayor Cooper: ‘Residents must wear masks for Nashville to reopen’

The most recent active heatmap released by the Metro Public Health Department continues to show a concentration of positive cases in downtown Nashville.

Restaurants and other businesses that serve alcohol in Nashville and Davidson County will now be required to close by 10 p.m. daily beginning Friday.