With school starting for most in the next two weeks, Tennessee doctors are raising concerns about the Delta variant’s spread, as kids under 12 are the only people left who still don’t have an option to vaccinate and fatal cases of the virus continue to rise in children.
Saint Thomas Becomes Latest Health System To Require Vaccines Across Workforce
The country’s largest Catholic hospital system says its employees must get the shots by mid-November, joining the likes of Vanderbilt University Medical Center locally, as COVID cases and hospitalizations across Tennessee continue to spike in the unvaccinated population.
A New Message From Tennessee GOP Leaders: Vaccines Save Lives
Republican lawmakers are urging more residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. A letter signed by 16 state senators touts the benefits of the shots and warns about the danger of not getting them.
Vaccine-Skeptical Radio Host Receives Backlash After Being Hospitalized With COVID
Conservative radio talk show host Phil Valentine has been silent since he was admitted to the hospital for COVID-19. Meanwhile, his social media has been exploding with debate between his supporters and critics since, throughout the last year, the Supertalk 99.7 WTN host has been a staunch and vocal skeptic of the COVID vaccine.
Gov. Lee Supports Firing Of Vaccine Director But Says He Didn’t Suggest It
Tennessee’s governor has come out in support of the health department’s recent actions that landed the state in the national spotlight — that being the firing of the state’s top vaccine official, Dr. Michelle “Shelley” Fiscus, which prompted questions about vaccine outreach to children.
Industry Bellwether HCA Reports A Strong COVID Rebound For Hospitals
The country’s largest hospital company, based in Nashville, released its second quarter earnings Tuesday. HCA has experienced a strong rebound from COVID-19 and is mostly back to treating patients on par with pre-pandemic levels.
COVID Hospitalizations Have Doubled This Month In Tennessee, And 97% Of New Cases Are Unvaccinated
COVID hospitalizations have doubled in Tennessee since the Fourth of July — from 195 to 408. It’s a manageable number — given hospitals cared for more than 3,300 COVID patients at one point in January — but a worrying trend in a state with less than 40% of residents fully vaccinated.
Leadership That Fired Tennessee’s Top Vaccine Expert Gave Her Glowing Performance Reviews
According to performance reviews of Dr. Michelle Fiscus, the Tennessee vaccine official had been praised for exceeding expectations and being attentive to her team, which directly contradicts a memo that the health department sent to media outlets after her firing this week.
‘I’m Not A Political Operative’: Tennessee’s Ousted Vaccine Official Says Lawmakers’ Opinions Overrode Science
Fiscus was fired this week and has since landed squarely at the center of a national controversy. She says she was ousted because of an on-going battle between science and politics.
Masks No Longer Required: Mid TN School Districts Loosen Rules For Upcoming Year
Districts — including Murfreesboro City Schools, Rutherford County Schools, Wilson County Schools and, most recently, Metro Nashville Public Schools — have announced that face coverings will be optional for students and staff heading into the new school year.
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