NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A group of Tennessee physicians is asking Governor Bill Lee to do more to combat the spread of COVID-19.
In response to growing cases in the state, the doctors, who say they represent some 2,000 doctors who called for the stay-at-home order in March, say the state reopened too soon.
“Gov. Bill Lee ignored doctors and began rushing to reopen businesses on April 27 without a careful plan to contain the virus and protect our workers and that has allowed things to get worse. And now, there are more than 430 Tennesseans who have died and more than 9,000 active COVID-19 cases," said Dr. Thomas Phelps, a retired physician.
Phelps and his colleagues, Dr. Susan Andrews and Dr. Amy Evans, said Tennessee should've waited longer for the spread to slow before reopening. They're worried a second closure of the economy could be on its way.
Also, they believe allowing people to visit family members and friends who live in nursing homes is a bad idea that could lead to more deaths.
"I don't think it's time," said Dr. Andrews. "There are too many cases out in the community. Unless you're willing to say that if someone lives in a nursing home, or works in a nursing home and is a high risk that it's okay for him to die, it's not time."
The doctors are calling for more contact tracing to be implemented by the state and for the immediate quarantine of a person who learns they're infected with the virus. Also, the doctors said the turn around times for the tests are far too long. Some report getting tests back five days or more later, which defeats the purpose of mass testing.
The doctors are pleading to Governor Bill Lee to do something about the problem.
"It's going to get a lot worse if we don't start behaving ourselves in an appropriate manner," said Phelps.
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