The city of Chattanooga and Hamilton County will end their joint COVID-19 Task Force next week, a year after the group was formed, though local leaders say residents must remain vigilant as some local data points begin to show a concerning trend.
Rae Bond, chair of the task force, said efforts with education, community mobilization and data will continue but the formal task force will stop meeting to give the next Chattanooga mayor the opportunity to respond to the pandemic in the way he or she sees fit. The runoff election for mayor between Kim White and Tim Kelly is April 13.
Bond cautioned the public against thinking the pandemic is over or that they should not follow social distancing and other public health guidelines, such as wearing masks, because the task force is ending. The local data committee and the community mobilization committee will continue to meet to discuss local needs in responding to the pandemic, she said.
“Conditions are generally improving but this public health emergency is by no means over,” Bond said. “We look forward to continuing our important work individually and collectively.”
The 22-person task force formed on March 31, 2020, when the pandemic first hit Hamilton County. Its members included local doctors, nonprofit leaders and education leaders. The group focused on various needs in the past year, including data collection, education and surge management. The task force served in an advisory role to local leaders and did not have the ability to change policy.