Tennesseans can now choose whether to mask up, according to CDC recommendations
Welcome back to the Coronavirus Watch newsletter. It’s digital producer Ray Padilla giving you the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic in West Tennessee.
Two weeks ago, we talked about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated recommendations for COVID-19 based on the virus’ impact on a community level. Within its recommendations, the CDC ranked Shelby, Tipton and Fayette counties as a "low" community level.
Since then, almost every county in Tennessee has moved to a low level, meaning people may choose whether to wear a mask, although masks are still recommended for people with symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19.
Dyer, Gibson, Crockett, Madison, Hardeman, Henderson, Decatur and Hardin counties are the only counties in West Tennessee still considered a "medium" community level. The medium level still does not recommend mask mandates, but it does recommend that people at high risk for severe illness should talk with their health care provider about precautionary measures.
But while more people are lowering their masks and enjoying a sense of normalcy, multiple countries in Europe are showing an increase in infections, causing concerns about the possibility of another global surge.
The possibility of a new variant or a spike in cases always exists given the nature of viruses, said Ogbonnaya Omenka, an assistant professor and director of diversity at the Butler University College of Pharmacy and Health Science.
"A wave in Europe and other countries for that matter, might occur in the United States as well," Omenka said. "Because it is an infectious disease, unless we eradicate it, there is bound to be that possibility of its return ... As the virus variants have shown, even the possible return is not predictable in terms of its severity or degree of similarity to the previous forms."
Coronavirus by the numbers
Shelby County (as of Thursday):
346: Active cases
3,207: Total deaths
Madison County (as of March 12):
80: Active cases
415: Total deaths
Tennessee (as of March 12):
5,098: Active cases
25,249: Total deaths
Vaccinations in Tennessee (as of Wednesday):
About 52% of Shelby County residents are fully vaccinated.
About 62% of Madison County residents are fully vaccinated.
About 53% of Tennesseans are fully vaccinated.
Vaccination information
COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available to all Tennesseans 5 years old and up. No appointments are necessary. Walk-in options are available at all health departments, and you can also make an appointment if you prefer.
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized vaccine booster shots for people 12 years old and up.
For all vaccine information, eligibility, and to find vaccine sites in your area, visit the Tennessee Department of Health website.
Note: The Tennessee Department of Health no longer publishes virus statistics daily.
This has been Ray Padilla with your weekly update on COVID-19 news in West Tennessee. You can reach me by email at raymond.padilla@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter at @Ray_Padilla_.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Coronavirus Watch: Mask mandates not required in Tennessee, CDC recommends
