5 things to know about COVID-19 in the Chattanooga region for the week ending June 26

Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Mildred Clarke, center, celebrates her 100th birthday while meeting with long-time family friends Suzanne Matherne, left, and her sister-in-law Jo Matherne at Morning Pointe of East Hamilton on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 in Ooltewah, Tenn. Moring Pointe has set up portable Plexiglas visitation booths at its 35 campuses.
Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Mildred Clarke, center, celebrates her 100th birthday while meeting with long-time family friends Suzanne Matherne, left, and her sister-in-law Jo Matherne at Morning Pointe of East Hamilton on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 in Ooltewah, Tenn. Moring Pointe has set up portable Plexiglas visitation booths at its 35 campuses.

Every week, the Times Free Press will publish five essential things to know about the coronavirus pandemic in the Chattanooga region. For more updated case count numbers and other data related to Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, visit timesfreepress.com/virus/.

For the week ending on June 26:

1. Chattanooga gets national attention as COVID-19 hotspot: Coronavirus deaths in Hamilton County have doubled in the past month to 29 as of Thursday. With deaths rising across the region, Chattanooga was ranked as No. 2 in a listing by The New York Times list of emerging hotspots for COVID-19 fatalities.

Why it matters: Hamilton County's growing death toll follows a local trend that saw a surge in new COVID-19 infections from mid-May to early June, which makes sense given that spikes in deaths from the coronavirus often come weeks after spikes in new infections. Currently, the number of new infections in the county each day is trending down. That's good news if the decline is in fact due to slowing spread of the virus and not less testing. Many factors contribute to COVID-19 fatalities, such as outbreaks among vulnerable populations. Health disparities also increase certain populations' risk of dying, and the disparities among minorities in Hamilton County have become increasingly apparent as the pandemic progresses. Hispanic residents, who make up 6% of the county's population, now account for 60% of the county's coronavirus cases and 34% of deaths. Statewide, in both Tennessee and Georgia, new cases are trending upward. Although hospitalizations in those states are slowly rising, they have not risen at the same rate as new cases. Officials say that could be because the spike in new cases is driven primarily by younger people, who are less likely to become seriously ill or die from COVID-19. Time will tell if Chattanooga is past its recent surge in both cases and deaths.

Read more about Chattanooga's increasing deaths and what we know about those who died.

2. Tennesseans say 'no, thanks' to masks: A report from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation found that Tennesseans are among the least likely Americans to wear face masks.

Why it matters: More and more evidence is showing that face coverings help stop the spread of respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19, yet mask use varies across the country. As a whole, mask use in the United States increased between April and June. However, in that same timeframe, face masks became less popular in Tennessee. Only 10% to 20% of Tennesseans reported always wearing face masks in public in June, whereas 20% to 30% of the population in Georgia and Alabama reported wearing masks. Tennesseans' reluctance toward masking comes amid businesses reopening and record-setting numbers of new cases. Now, 50% of COVID-19 cases in the state cannot be traced. Experts say mask wearing is key to slowing transmission, because respiratory droplets carry infectious virus particles that the eye can't see and can be spread by people who show no symptoms.

Read more about why the Volunteer State is not voluntarily covering faces and how to wear a mask to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

3. Child death underscores that COVID-19 can affect all ages: A second local pediatric death and reopening of public playgrounds in Hamilton County this week serve as reminders that while children are less susceptible to serious COVID-19 infection, they're certainly not immune.

Why it matters: On Tuesday, the Hamilton County Health Department reported that a girl under age 10 with no underlying medical conditions had died due to the coronavirus - marking the first time that an otherwise healthy child in Hamilton County was known to have died in the global pandemic. In Tennessee, COVID-19 has killed three children age 10 and under and one child between age 11 and 20 - out of 567 total fatalities. But while children are less likely to become seriously ill or die from the coronavirus, experts say parents should understand that there is still a risk the child could become ill and transmit the virus to others. Since it's a new disease, much is still not well understood about COVID-19 - especially how and why it presents differently in children than adults, as well as the role that youngsters play in transmission. Emerging research will have important implications as schools eye reopening plans for the fall.

Read more about what is known about COVID-19 in children.

4. How to live safely in a pandemic: As restrictions continue to be eased, health officials are providing advice on what you can do safely and what you can avoid.

Why it matters: Most of the advice from health officials during the pandemic has been to socially distance and stay indoors as much as possible. However, Chattanoogans as well as Americans are returning to old social habits. Researchers of infectious diseases say there are things we can do safely - socializing outdoors, for example - and things we should avoid - sitting in crowded bars, for example. Experts say the more society can adopt safe practices, the faster we can return to "normal" and revive the economy.

Read more about whether it's safe to go to your favorite restaurant or back to the gym.

5. Lawmakers divided over COVID-19 liability bill: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said this week he is open to a special session after the failure of a bill providing businesses, schools, churches and other organizations more legal protection against COVID-19 liability lawsuits.

Why it matters: The "Tennessee Recovery and Safe Harbor Act" could offer retroactive protection for businesses - like a nursing home where 23 people have died - from being liable if the coronavirus spreads there. Lee supports the idea of a law that could ease uncertainty for businesses as they reopen. However, the bill failed in the House after members expressed concern that the retroactive provision was unconstitutional. The bill's failure set off a fight between Republican leadership in the governor's office and Republican representatives, ending the session on a bitter note and leaving questions as to whether the House and Senate leaders can agree.

Read more about if Tennesseans can expect a coronavirus protection bill to get passed.

What are your experiences with the coronavirus? Are you or someone you love affected by it? What questions do you have? We would like to hear from you, so please contact efite@timesfreepress.com or wmassey@timesfreepress.com.

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