The state of Tennessee and Hamilton County government will officially begin a process of phased reopening in the next several days. Amongst the reasons cited are an apparent flattening of COVID-19 rates. The state's largest municipalities will be exempt and will work with their local health departments to assess when this process might proceed. Today, the Hamilton County government mirrored much of the state's rationale and will begin reopening in the very near future. While we acknowledge their right to come to such conclusions, nevertheless, we cannot concur with this decision on the basis that we believe testing has failed to be robust, the science and data do not align with this reasoning, and the underlying health and economic disparities of black, Latino and marginalized communities, those most disproportionately impacted, have failed to be meaningfully and adequately addressed.
Evidence and data do not demonstrate that COVID-19 is slowing or even maintaining a flat rate. The online medical health site MEDPAGE referenced that the unofficial U.S. case count this morning was 787,960 total cases and 42,364 deaths, which was up more than 28,000 cases and nearly 1,700 deaths from yesterday. Tennessee numbers strongly corroborate with these statistics.
This is one basis that thousands of Tennessee medical professionals like Dr. Aaron Milstone, who was an early advocate of a statewide stay at home order, are cautioning against reopening too soon. Likewise, Vanderbilt University medical experts have also stated in a recent report that while Tennessee has made progress in combating COVID-19, because of continued transmission levels that could lead to infections and hospitalizations, that progress is "fragile, uncertain and delicate." Many medical experts also point to long-term tracking metrics produced by leading groups studying coronavirus trends such as John Hopkins University and Washington’s Institute for Health and Metrics and Evaluations modeling, neither of which display that Tennessee has had a downward trajectory in the number of COVID-19 new cases over a 14 day period. Many medical officials also believe a second and third wave of COVID-19 will occur throughout this year.
Numerous assessments are also continuing to indicate that the black community has a disproportionate amount of COVID-19 related cases and deaths. The most current data released by the CDC last week shows that 30 percent of coronavirus patients are black. Similarly, data compiled by the Associated Press has determined that nearly one-third of COVID-19 deaths are black. The numbers for the Latino and other minority groups are equally as troubling according to the rising data and mounting evidence.
One who is consistently reviewing race-based data is Dr. Uche Blacstock of Advancing Health Equity, who was quoted in the Skanner News as saying, "Collecting racial and ethnic demographic data on testing, cases, and health outcomes will be imperative to mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our already vulnerable populations and will ensure healthcare resources are allocated equitably.”
The National Medical Association has equally raised COVID-19 concerns in an April press release, (Underscores Wealth and Health Disparities in the African American Community), where they said, "It is known that the social determinants of health (SDoH) play as important a role in a person’s health as genetics or medical treatment. There are broadly six SDoH categories: economic stability, physical environment, education, food community and social content and healthcare systems."
There are other mitigating factors that should be considered prior to reopening. There are concerns over workers safety when we see 900 employees at the South Dakota meat packing plant and over 90 at the Goodlettsville Tyson plant become infected within the last week. Within the last week, 70 people have succumbed to the coronavirus at Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center II in New Jersey and 45 at the Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Virginia. There have been over 7,000 COVID-19 nursing home deaths. Oddly enough only 1 in 10 nursing homes report data as this is not a mandated requirement.
This week, there have been nearly 2,000 new COVID-19 cases reported at the Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio, nearly 40 percent of all Arkansas COVID-19 cases are in prisons, and there is currently an outbreak in Bledsoe County. Store clerks, transportation workers, first responders, fire and police, hospital staff, and millions of workers deemed essential face to face continue to work, be exposed, and pray that their families and loved ones don't become infected.
In regards to the reopen declarations issued by the state and Hamilton County, we must object, we do dissent, because they are not firmly rooted in science, evidence and data. Until such time as we have more adequate and robust testing; until such time as the needs of minority and marginalized communities are given serious considerations; until such times as we have an adequate food supply and PPE such as masks, gloves and disinfectants; until such time as we have protections for all workers; until such time as the data and evidence demonstrate that we are ready; we will continue to assert that this action will have damming and detrimental consequences on a community already suffering and ravaged. We urge the community to continue social distancing, proper hygiene and sanitation practices, and most of all follow the recommendations and best practices as outlined by medical, science and other health experts and officials.
Unity Group of Chattanooga
Sherman E. Matthews Jr., Chairman
Eric Atkins, Corresponding Secretary