Members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force are warning about the continued high transmission rates in 75 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. Task Force leader, Dr. Deborah Birx, stated in a meeting Wednesday morning, that large gatherings in counties labeled as “red zones” and “yellow zones” should be postponed.
“If you’re in a red or yellow county, bringing together family members will create, potentially, particularly if indoors, super-spreader events,” Birx said. “We’re finding that across the South and moving up into the Midwest.”
According to a map released by the Tennessee Department of Health, 33 counties are identified as “red zones” and 42 counties are identified as “yellow zones” based on White House Coronavirus Task Force standards.
Red zones: areas that “reported both new cases above 100 per 100,000 per population and a diagnostic test positivity result above 10 percent, during the previous week.
Yellow Zones: areas that “reported both new cases between 10-100 per 100,000 population, and a diagnostic test positivity result between 5-10%, or one of those two conditions and one condition qualifying as being in the ‘Red Zone”, during the previous week.
Birx has previously listed Tennessee as an area causing concern due to the rising rate in test positivity. To read more about the White House Coronavirus Task Force policies on areas in red or yellow zones, follow this link.
At this time, there is no mask mandate for Coffee County or within the school system. COVID-19 is an evolving situation, and CCN will update the community on any changes, should they happen. Listed above are recommendations set forth by the White House Task Force and its members to curb the spread of COVID-19. To learn more about what local school districts are doing to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, along with any updates or changes to schedule and closures, visit coffeecountynews.com/education.