Flu Vaccinations
The Cumberland County Health Department will not be offering Drive Thru Flu Shots at the Senior Center December 9th or 10th. If you need to get a flu shot, they are still available for free at the Health Department. Call 484-6196 for an appointment or just stop by and go inside.
Governor Lee Announces Reemployment Push to Address Historic Year for Job Loss
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Jeff McCord today announced a new campaign, “Let’s Get to Work Tennessee,” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=_Rk-T5Bj3xI&feature=youtu.be) to help Tennesseans find and obtain meaningful employment. As COVID-19 has caused significant disruptions to employment and the economy across the state, and with federal unemployment programs expiring soon, the new campaign encourages Tennesseans to join the workforce and secure one of the thousands of jobs currently available. The ad is airing across the state on broadcast TV, cable, radio, outdoor and digital media.
Jobs4TN.gov currently has more than 240,000 active job postings of all skill levels. Tennessee has an integrated unemployment and workforce development system ready to assist Tennesseans in finding employment. With the expiration of federal unemployment programs quickly approaching, the state encourages claimants to continue searching for work so they can secure employment before their benefits end.
Governor Lee also signed Executive Order 69 today which reconstitutes the State Workforce Development Board. The Board works to increase the competitive position of Tennessee business and attract new business through the development of a highly skilled workforce.
View the ads here: https://youtu.be/_Rk-T5Bj3xI and https://youtu.be/ruxfOgKmzBg
COVID-19 Update (difference from previous day)
We had several more results reported today. I don’t know when the tests were conducted, but anecdotally it seems that labs are returning results to patients the next day. At this point, I don’t believe we are getting results reported via the State website that quickly.
Please remember to wear a mask when appropriate, social distance, wash your hands, and follow the guidelines provided by Governor Lee and the CDC. Be smart and avoid places you feel are unsafe.
The following are the numbers from the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) for Cumberland County as of 2:00 PM today. The change from the prior day, not my prior newsletter, is in parenthesis.
285 active cases (+30)
2,662 inactive/recovered (+47)
42 deaths officially reported (+0)
2,989 positive cases (+77)
94 cumulative hospitalizations (-1)
35,255 negative tests (+297)
19.33% positivity rate – 7-day average
89.06% Inactive/Recovered
7.82% cumulative positivity rate (positive cases / positive cases + negative tests)
4.94% of residents have tested positive
0.47% of residents have active cases
These numbers are intended to be a brief summary of the information provided by the Tennessee Department of Health. More detailed information can be found at the online dashboard: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html
A new dashboard has been released for each county. You can now view the Cumberland County COVID-19 dashboard here:
https://covid19.tn.gov/data/dashboards/?County=Cumberland
The dashboard seems to be the last data that is updated so it can lag for several hours behind the 2:00 PM daily data release.
School level COVID-19 data is now available online. Click this link to see the information available for Cumberland County:
https://districtinformation.tnedu.gov/covid-information/search/-1/180
Vaccine Update
I have received several questions about the state’s vaccine plan. They have now published a FAQ that can be found here:
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/cedep/novel-coronavirus/COVID-19_Vaccine_FAQ.pdf
One of the most frequent questions that the state hears from Tennesseans is when the general public can expect to be able to receive the vaccine. While the state does not have exact timeframes at this point, they have shared the anticipated phases of allocation. While these phases are subject to change, the graphic below (also found in the vaccination plan in the link below) illustrates what is anticipated for these phases at this time
Quarantine and Isolation Update
I also get several questions about quarantine (after exposure) and isolation (after testing positive). The State now has a calculator to use to determine when your quarantine or isolation is over. Check it out here:
https://covid19.tn.gov/prevention/quarantine-isolation-calculator/
Remember, you are supposed to quarantine after testing until you receive your result. If the result is positive you should begin isolation and wait for a call from the Tennessee Department of Health in order to receive additional instructions.
Health Department Testing
The local Health Department (1503 South Main Street) is conducting drive through testing, free of charge, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. No doctor’s order is required, and no appointment is necessary. Anyone can be tested regardless of symptoms.
Thank you for being part of the solution and thank you for the opportunity to serve as your County Mayor. If you are interested in hearing my thoughts and views on news, events, and activities in Cumberland County, please subscribe to my newsletter, and follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Thank you,
Allen Foster
Cumberland County Mayor
http://allenfoster.net
allenfoster.com 