COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee
The patient was a 44-year-old adult man and resident of Williamson County who recently flew on a nonstop flight to Boston through Nashville's airport.
[14] On March 29, country music artist Joe Diffie dies in Nashville due to complications from the coronavirus, according to his publicist.
[22] Lee confirmed the "stay at home" executive order would expire on April 30, and the majority of businesses would be able to reopen the following day, May 1.
[23] On May 1, around 1,000 inmates and staff tested positive for COVID-19 at the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center in Hartsville, leading to a significant jump in the state numbers for that day.
[24] On May 7, a study conducted by Harvard's Global Health Institute in conjunction with NPR listed Tennessee as one of nine U.S. states that was doing enough testing to successfully control its coronavirus outbreak.
"[29][30] On June 22, the Westmore Church of God in Cleveland held a three-hour regional worship service for several hundred people.
[33] On July 10, State Representative Kent Calfee, a Republican from Kingston became the first member of the Tennessee General Assembly to test positive for COVID-19.
The mayor's office was falsely reported to have actively deceived the public on the number of coronavirus cases linked to bars and restaurants.
[48] Bar owners considered this particularly egregious as the "night life economy makes Nashville go" and these restrictions have caused Music City musicians, sound engineers, and bartenders to be "thrown out".
[49] On October 22, Williamson, Wilson, and Sumner Counties reinstated mandates requiring residents to wear masks in public.
Additionally, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that prominent country artist and Tennessee resident Dolly Parton helped fund research at VUMC for this vaccine.
Parton said she donated $1 million because her friend, Naji Abumrad of VUMC, informed her that the hospital was making exciting advancements towards a coronavirus cure.
He made the speech following reports that Tennessee was experiencing one of the country's worst new coronavirus case rates per person.
Lee limited all indoor public gatherings to 10 people; religious services, weddings, and funerals excepted from this requirement.
[57] On February 12, Walmart announced that its pharmacies would provide vaccination sites, emphasizing locations with many customers who have limited access to health care.
"[68][67] The state argued that Fiscus was fired due to her "failure to maintain good working relationships with members of her team, her lack of effective leadership, her lack of appropriate management, and unwillingness to consult with superiors and other internal stakeholders on [Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program] projects.
[73] On July 27, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and several other Republican state senators, including State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson composed and signed a public letter recommending those Tennesseans "who do not have a religious objection or a legitimate medical issue" get vaccinated.
The order allows pharmacists to dispense an additional 30-day prescription provided it is to prevent the spread of the virus, allows for alternate COVID-19 testing sites provided that the Tennessee Medical Laboratory Board is notified, restricts an excessive price increase of items and services until March 27, suspends maximum size limitations for vehicles participating in preventing the spread of the virus, and gives the Tennessee Commissioner of Human Services the ability to waive child care requirements as needed.
[80] The Tennessee General Assembly also banned the public from the legislative Cordell Hull Office complex with only members, staff, and media allowed.
[81] On March 16, Nashville mayor John Cooper announced that bars would close across the county and imposed limitations on restaurants.
[83] On March 25, during Governor Lee's daily COVID-19 briefing, Military Commissioner Major General Jeff Holmes announced that 250 members of the Tennessee National Guard had been mobilized to assist in the state's response and were receiving training in Smyrna.
[16] On April 13, Lee extended the order to the end of the month, to align with President Trump's plans for businesses to reopen in early May.
[17] The Tennessee Major Metros Economic Restart Task Force was established on April 16, composed of mayors representing Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga, as well as business and health leaders.
[92][93] By July 16, after the Governor's July 3 executive order giving all Tennessee counties the power to mandate masks in public, Davidson, Dickson, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Knox, Madison, Montgomery, Robertson, Sevier, Shelby, Sullivan, Sumner, Washington, and Williamson counties required masks.
Meanwhile, Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Cheatham, Coffee, Franklin, Grainger, Grundy, Hickman, Marion, Marshall, Maury, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Rutherford, Sesquatchie, and Wilson Counties announced they would not require masks.
Six of Tennessee's counties (Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison, Shelby, Sullivan) have local health departments and already had the authority to issue mask mandates.
[94][95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102] On October 30, Governor Bill Lee extended Tennessee counties' authority to issue mask mandates through December 29.
[109] On January 1, 2021, WMC Action News 5 Memphis reported that Benton County issued a mask mandate that would be renewed weekly.
The Vanderbilt Commodores were rescheduled to play against fellow SEC team Missouri, while the Tennessee Volunteers did not have a new game for that date.
[128] On December 5, the MTSU Blue Raiders announced the cancellation of their final scheduled game of the 2020 college football season against the UAB Blazers due to coronavirus issues.
