Tennessee official warns surge will ‘break our hospitals’

As Tennessee leads the United States in coronavirus cases per capita following a post-Thanksgiving spike, the state’s health commissioner warned Sunday that the hospital system will crumble if residents don’t slow the spread of the virus by staying home, wearing masks and avoiding large gatherings.

“If we have another surge over Christmas, it will break our hospitals,” Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said at a news conference, according to the Tennessean newspaper.

Despite Piercey’s warning, Republican Gov. Bill Lee refused to order a statewide mask mandate in a video address hours later. Instead, he announced an executive order to limit indoor gatherings to 10 people and implored people to keep holiday gatherings to just those in their household.

“I understand deeply how much Tennessee families need each other,” Lee said. “But we must do all that we can to blunt this surge and keep more Tennesseans from getting sick.”

The order comes one day after the governor’s office announced that Tennessee first lady Maria Lee tested positive for the coronavirus after exhibiting mild symptoms. In a statement, Lee said he tested negative and would quarantine as a precaution.

Tennessee is averaging almost 10,000 new coronavirus cases, and almost 100 deaths, per day, according to The Washington Post’s tracker. About 45,000 people are hospitalized for covid-19 in the state, with about 12,000 in the intensive care unit. On Saturday, Tennessee recorded a 30% positivity rate, a new high, according to the Tennessean.

In the weeks following Thanksgiving, daily reported cases in Tennessee doubled. A similar trajectory played out across the country, and health officials warn that Christmas gatherings could lead to an even larger surge.

Despite the rapidly increasing numbers pushing Tennessee hospitals to their limits, Lee maintained there would not be a mask mandate, while stressing the importance of wearing one.

“Many think a statewide mandate would improve mask-wearing, many think it would have the opposite effect,” Lee said Sunday. “This has been a heavily politicized issue. Please do not get caught up in that and don’t misunderstand my belief in local government on this issue. Masks work, and I want every Tennessean to wear one.”

Lee added that 70% of Tennesseans are already under mask requirements from their local governments and 80% said they wear masks always or most of the time.

“And I thank them for doing this,” Lee said.

But medical workers criticized the governor for not going far enough to help them during a time in which they are overwhelmed under the increasing hospital rates. Following Lee’s address, the Tennessee Medical Association, a nonprofit advocacy group for state physicians, released a statement imploring the governor to change his mind.

The pressure on Tennessee health-care workers has been so great that Lee said he had authorized National Guard medics to work in hospitals to “provide lifesaving care.”

During Piercey’s news conference Sunday, the health commissioner said five of the state’s largest health-care systems are allowing paramedics to practice in the hospitals. She added that with the exception of hospitals, healthcare workers who tested positive for the coronavirus could continue to work in long- term- care facilities if they felt well enough.

“I tell you this because we are looking under every rock. We are turning over every stone to help hospitals,” Piercey said. “We are running out of options.”