The People of Nashville Must Step Up

So the people of Metro Nashville did not quite have COVID-19 under control as we thought we did. In short, the cases are up higher than ever. The transmission rate is 1.1, and we need for it to be under 1.0. It appears that our hospitals will not be overwhelmed. But the situation is getting worse and not better.

Tennessee had its largest number of COVID-19 cases on Friday, June 26. The number lowered on Saturday, June 27. The governor hasn't said much of anything. Dr. Lisa Piercey, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health, was quoted by The Tennessean as stating that hospitals are able to handle the numbers of sick people being admitted.

But unless hospitals are truly overwhelmed, it could be tough to go back on lockdown and return to "safer at home" status. We really can't afford it. Mayor John Cooper of Metro Nashville (pictured here last September 28 at his inauguration) has the local health department working on a public health order to require masks in public places. The media will have more for you on Sunday afternoon. In fact, the media seems to take delight in scaring the public and driving more attention to ... well, the media. 

But neither Governor Lee nor Mayor Cooper can force the general population to do the right thing. They can put mandates into place, which they have done in the past few months. They have consulted with the best and brightest of our health care professionals to determine the best course of action.

But they can't save us from our own ineptitude. 

All the guidance is in place to allow us to return to the most normal sense of life possible. Barring the most dire of underlying medical circumstances or the most vulnerable in our population, most everyone has been empowered with knowledge about social distancing, face coverings, hand washing, and sanitation. Everything I enjoy, from the gym to downtown Nashville honky tonks (some of which have been busted for not following public health guidelines), has been given the "green light" to continue. And honestly, the protocol isn't that hard to follow. 

I personally have followed "soft" social distancing rather than "literal" social distancing. And I really haven't felt unsafe once.

Some have complained (with good reason) about double standards with regard to "Black Lives Matter" protests that have a message we need to hear but large amounts of people gathering outdoors that may be unsafe despite a much-needed message.

It really doesn't matter whether it's a President Trump rally or a Black Lives Matter protest. Neither should just go forward without any protocol.

We have talented folks in the local medical leadership such as former U.S. Senate majority leader Bill Frist, MD; Alex Jahangir, MD of Vanderbilt; and James Hildreth, MD of Meharry Medical College. It really doesn't get much better than that in terms of local medical leadership.

And it breaks my heart to see the general public ignore the warnings, drive up the coronavirus numbers unnecessarily, and basically cause more headache in society. I have nothing against young people. But they know what to do, and they aren't doing it. I have nothing against Latinos in Southeast Nashville. But they know what to do, too. 

And changing our hearts and backing our hearts with our actions will shrink the pandemic. But we will reap what we sow. And neither the government nor the media are able to stop us from stupidity.