NASHVILLE – Gov. Bill Lee thanked President Donald Trump for his provision of aid to Tennessee during the coronavirus pandemic during a White House event on Thursday, saying it boosted assistance for seniors.
“As we work to make our contribution to fighting COVID-19 we can do so because of the work that you’re doing and the way that you’re supporting what we’re doing,” the Republican governor told the president.
Lee told Trump that “you’ve asked states to commit to a goal of testing 2% of their population, and in April 2% of Tenneseans were tested. And we have tested over 175,000 to date.
“But,” Lee added, as “we look to May to build upon, we’re actually strengthening a commitment, particularly to the elderly, the most vulnerable of our citizens, especially those in our nursing homes.”
The governor’s White House trip came a day after Lee announced a major effort to begin mass coronavirus testing in the next several weeks involving some 60,000 to 70,000 residents living in an estimated 700 Tennessee nursing homes, assisted care facilities and similar residential facilities housing elderly and vulnerable people.