Elizabeth Fite

New COVID-19 cases across Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama continue to decline - signaling that the record-breaking summer wave is coming to an end.

A PBS documentary that aired in May called attention to a long-brewing crisis in American health care brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 pandemic — the future of many safety-net hospitals, such as Chattanooga's Erlanger Health System, is in jeopardy.

Large disparities in COVID-19 vaccination rates throughout Hamilton County persist despite a boost in the county's overall vaccination rate throughout the summer and ongoing outreach efforts, according to data from the local vaccine education coalition Get Vaccinated Chattanooga.

Marlon Hampton was a quiet man, the opposite of his outspoken younger brother.

Tennessee physicians who create or spread COVID-19 vaccine misinformation or disinformation could now face disciplinary action, including suspension or revocation of their medical licenses in the most extreme cases, according to a new policy from the state medical board that oversees doctors.

Demand for first-dose COVID-19 vaccinations spiked in August and September during the surge of new infections and hospitalizations caused by the delta variant.

Ten-year-old Elijah Berestecky's arms are still covered in bruises from the dozens of needle jabs he received during two trips to the pediatrician, three to the emergency department and a three-day stay at Children's Hospital at Erlanger.

Concerns that vaccinated Tennesseans could be denied access to monoclonal antibodies in order to conserve the life-saving drugs for unvaccinated people are subsiding as the number of new COVID-19 cases across the state declines.

The Chattanooga area's worst COVID-19 patient surge to date appears to be subsiding, as new cases and hospitalization data show a marked decline since their mid-September peak.

Many vaccinated Tennesseans could be denied access to monoclonal antibodies in favor of unvaccinated people as new recommendations aim to conserve the life-saving treatment for those at highest risk of COVID-19 hospitalization.

The proportion of serious and fatal COVID-19 infections among vaccinated Tennesseans is growing, but experts caution against using data on "breakthrough" infections - which occur when fully vaccinated people are infected by the coronavirus - to draw broad conclusions about vaccine efficacy.

An increasing number of younger Hamilton County residents are dying because of COVID-19 as a result of the ongoing summer surge powered by the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus.

Hospice of Chattanooga and other end-of-life care and support services providers within the Alleo Health System have been purchased by Virginia-based Care Hospice, according to a joint statement from officials.

Tennessee leads the nation in COVID-19 cases per capita since the start of the pandemic — as well as new cases over the past week - placing it at the center of the current coronavirus surge in the U.S.

Hamilton County school-aged children have accounted for roughly 1 in 4 of the county's new COVID-19 cases in the past month — underscoring that the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus and other compounding forces are creating a new academic year far different from the last.

Members of the Tennessee National Guard arrived in Hamilton County on Wednesday to assist with CHI Memorial Health System's monoclonal antibody injection clinic, which recently expanded its capacity to treat up to 50 outpatients a day.

Sabrina Novak, director of administrative services for the Hamilton County Health Department, will replace outgoing administrator Becky Barnes as interim health department administrator.

Despite ongoing negotiations and aggressive ad campaigns, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and CHI Memorial have been unable to reach a contract agreement - putting thousands of patients in jeopardy of losing in-network coverage at Chattanooga's second-largest health system if the two sides cannot come to terms before the Sept. 8 deadline.

Hamilton County faith and community leaders are urging the Hamilton County Commission to better address racial and ethnic health disparities as the commissioners look for a new administrator for the health department.

Members of the Tennessee National Guard will arrive Wednesday at two Erlanger Health System hospitals in Hamilton County while all local hospitals are forced to scale back elective procedures as the worst patient surge of the pandemic to date pushes health care systems to the brink.