NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A group of critical care physicians on Monday called on Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to do more to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.
In a news conference, Dr. Aaron Milstone suggested the governor needs to do three things to bring Tennessee’s surging case numbers back down. First, he said, Lee needs to require people to wear masks in public.
“If people ignore speed limits, they’re fined because they are endangering others,” said Milstone, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Williamson Medical Center. “During this health crisis, not wearing a mask, not social distancing, is endangering others.”
The doctors also want Lee to make the Tennessee Pledge enforceable. The Pledge outlines how businesses can protect workers and customers with social distancing, masks and other measures. And the doctors want Lee to give cities more authority to make rules that protect their citizens.
Tennessee saw coronavirus cases jump by 121% over the month of June as it reopened businesses. On Monday, the state recorded 724 new cases of coronavirus and seven new deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the state to 653.