NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Governor Bill Lee announced the creation of the COVID-19 Unified Command, which will "streamline coordination across the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), Tennessee Department of Health and Tennessee Department of Military."
“The COVID-19 pandemic challenges every aspect of traditional government response in a crisis,” said Gov. Lee. “I have appointed the Unified Command to effectively change the way we attack COVID-19 in Tennessee as we work to simultaneously address health, economic and supply crises.”
The Unified Command leader will be Commisioner Stuart McWhorter, who will leave his position as the head of the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration.
McWhorter appointed retired Brig. Gen. Scott Brower to serve as chief of staff for the operation.
“Gen. Brower’s special forces background and previous service as the Acting Senior Commander for the 101st Airborne Division has enabled him to pull leaders together and troubleshoot quickly in a crisis,” said McWhorter. “Gov. Lee has urged our team to challenge every barrier and assembling this team is the first step.”
Brower resides in Clarksville and most recently served as the military advisor in residence to the president of Austin Peay State University. The COVID-19 Unified Command also includes:
Patrick Sheehan, TEMA Director
Dr. Lisa Piercey, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Health
Maj. Gen. Jeff Holmes, Adjutant General, Tennessee Department of Military
The governor also issued Executive Order 18 which bans elective surgeries at hospitals, surgery centers and dental offices. It also asks practitioners to donate personal protective equipment to the nearest national guard armory. It is in place until April 15.
On Sunday, Lee ordered that restaurants, bars and gyms close across the state. But 2,000 doctors sent Lee a letter urging him to go even further than that by issuing a stricter stay-at-home order.
And as more governors across the country announce stay-at-home orders, like the one in Davidson County, Governor Lee says it's not yet the right time to issue a stay-at-home order for the entire state.
"Nothings off the table and decisions change everyday," said Lee. "If you're not nimble, and you're not willing to take in new information and make new decisions, then you're not going to make the right decision at the right time, and that's our goal."
The state's number of positive cases rose to 635 Monday. And two people have died from the disease.
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- Donate to the COVID-19 Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund
See all our coronavirus coverage here
COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES IN TENNESSEE
What is COVID-19 (a.k.a. the new coronavirus?)
According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases. Examples include the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV)and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. COVID-19 stands for "Coronavirus disease 2019," which is when this strain of the coronavirus was discovered.
What are the symptoms?
The CDC says patients confirmed to have the 2019-nCoV reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with:
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Or at least two of the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Chills
- Repeated shaking with chills
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell
At this time, the CDC believes symptoms could appear as soon as two days after exposure, or as long as 14 days.
Prevention
The CDC is recommending "common sense" measures such as:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
