There’s no evidence that Tennessee’s fired vaccine chief purchased the dog muzzle that was sent to her amid heated controversy last year, according to a memo from the Nashville District Attorney’s office.
In Tennessee, don’t expect any more COVID contact tracing calls — for now
The state is winding down its increasingly futile attempts to investigate positive COVID cases and alert those who’ve been exposed, which means Tennesseans are pretty much on their own with contact tracing at this point.
Tennessee may funnel big money into dental schools in hopes of getting grads into rural areas
A proposal from the Tennessee Department of Health would expand dental school class sizes and forgive tuition for those who end up working in high-need areas. The five-year, $94 million pilot project was floated to Gov. Bill Lee during this month’s budget hearings.
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.
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.
Lawmaker Asks For An Explanation Of Why State’s Top Vaccine Expert Was Fired
After the firing of Dr. Michelle Fiscus, the now-former medical director at the Tennessee Department of Health, Nashville Democratic Rep. John Ray Clemmons is calling for an explanation from the governor and the health commissioner.
‘Puzzled’ By Why The State Reversed Course, Nashville Will Still Share COVID Data With First Responders
Nashville’s public health department will continue to provide COVID-19 patient information to first responders, even though the state has decided to halt its own data-sharing policy by the end of the month.
What You Need To Know From Tennessee’s 171-Page Pandemic Plan
As the infection count for COVID-19 continues increasing, Tennessee is relying on its Novel Virus Pandemic Influenza Response Plan. That’s a 171-page document that lays out what steps the state should take to manage a highly infectious virus. WPLN News spoke to Tyler Whetstone, a government and politics reporter at the Knoxville News Sentinel who read the full document and shares some key takeaways.
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