5 things to know about COVID-19 this week
Every week, the Times Free Press will publish five essential things to know about the coronavirus pandemic in the Chattanooga region. For more updated case count numbers and other data related to Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, visit timesfreepress.com/ virus.
Five things to know about COVID-19 in the Chattanooga region for the week ending Feb. 5.
1 Hamilton County drops vaccine age eligibility to 70 and older: The move state guidance but the county will not receive a boost in weekly shipments.
Why it matters:
The decision announced Thursday provides continuity in eligibility across the state, said Becky Barnes, Hamilton County Health Department administrator. Moving the age bracket makes around 16,200 more people eligible alongside the approximately 26,500 people age 75 and older in the county. However, Hamilton County will not be receiving more vaccines each week, despite the state announcing an expected 15% boost in new doses.
Read more about why Hamilton County is not getting more vaccines and why the state expects a bump in shipments through February.
2 Clinica Medicos, churches help Hamilton County effort to vaccinate underserved communities against COVID-19: Partnerships critical to making testing accessible are being used again.
Why it matters:
This week, Clinica Medicos became the first community provider to offer coronavirus vaccinations to eligible groups. The announcement comes as vaccine data in the county is beginning to show disparities in who is getting doses, though some local health leaders cautioned the sample size is too small so far to draw strong conclusions.
Read more about the new vaccine distribution plan and what other groups might be mobilized.
3 With little money for marketing, Chattanooga restaurants turn to social media: The pandemic is pushing some businesses to rethink their digital strategy. Why it matters:
One industry leader said a lot of restaurant owners simply don’t know or don’t have time to learn what tools are available to them. They don’t understand social media or how their websites work. But, he said, if you are not on social media you are losing money.
Read more about how local establishments are leveraging social media in the time of COVID-19.
4 Chattanooga region reports a record number of COVID-19 deaths in January: Yet the pandemic is showing signs of slowing across the region.
Why it matters:
A 21-county region including Hamilton County reported 455 deaths in January, passing the previous monthly record of 373 in December. Hamilton County’s total deaths were lower than the previous record but higher than almost every other month to date.
Read more about the deaths in January and the current trajectory of the pandemic.
5 Johnson & Johnson seeks approval for its single-dose vaccine: The vaccine would be the third version available and much easier to ship and store.
Why it matters:
Early research suggests the single-dose vaccine might not be as strong as the available two-dose vaccines, but some experts think the Johnson & Johnson product could help get more people inoculated more quickly since the doses do not require ultracold storage like Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s vaccines.
Read more about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and when it might be available.