Governor Bill Lee spoke exclusively with newspapers in the Tennessee Press Association last Thursday about their importance in their communities, as well as, updated them on the Covid-19 epidemic in the state.

“I am really grateful for each of you,” said Governor Lee. “The press has such a crucial role to play in disseminating information; it’s just vital.

“We want the people in every single community to be reminded that this Covid-19 virus is going to be addressed most effectively when Tennesseans take individual responsibility.

“We need every Tennessean, in every community to understand that this is very serious. It is not something to be afraid of, but it is something to be aware of. To be aware of the seriousness of the issue, to be award of terms like social distances is very important to understand and to follow guidance that is given by medical leaders and governmental leaders, because there’s a lot of information, from the past few months, from around the globe that is informing the guidance that we give.

“As this virus spreads across our state, which is in the majority of our counties now, we know that it’s not going to be limited to our population centers. It’s likely to end up in every corner of the state. The degree in which it ends up there is to the degree Tennesseans take this seriously and heed the advice and follow the guidance of staying apart.

“We are releasing a public service campaign today called “Do your part, stay apart.” We have to get the word out how important this is and that every single Tennessean understand and to engage.

“We have set up, within the governor’s office, what we are calling “Unified Command.” This is an effort to bring together Department of Health, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and the Department of the Military as one, to pull together as a unified effort as we strategize not only how to minimize the spread of the virus but to provide for health care capacity, personal protective equipment, testing capacity. All of the things important to be prepared for this virus as it moves through our state. We are laser-focused on being prepared. We’ve done something a little different than most states, and that created our own agency, the Unified Command.

“Stewart McWarder, previously our commissioner of F&A is heading that up. We hired retired Brigadier General Scott Brower as the deputy director. As I said, the departments of the state are working together to create a strategy.”

Governor Lee told that this is not a one-time fits all approach on how we do anything in this state other than everyone to do their part to stay apart. He said rural counties and urban centers are different and the way they address some of the challenges there are different.

“Testing is very, very important,” he continued. “If everyone in Tennessee were tested then we’d know who all had it. But we don’t know, because we haven’t had the capacity for everyone in the state to be tested.

“I am very encouraged about the ramp up efforts of our state to expand testing. We are setting up new test centers, new laboratories and capacities. Today I went out and stood on the air field with 250 National Guardsmen, who are men and women of the private sector, who are about to be deployed today. One hundred fifty of them are medical personnel who will be going to remote assessment centers across the state to expand our testing efforts as this virus moves into the rural communities.

“I just toured the supply distribution center with the National Guard. We are gathering personal protective equipment and getting it out to communities that need it the most. Urban centers need it the most, because that’s where the most of the cases are and most of the treatment is. It’s a bit a race against time, and we’re staying ahead of that race.

“Eighty-one percent of our personal protective equipment has gone out to rural counties. We recognize that supplies are very limited in rural counties and we need to get that equipment out there.

“In the state budget that was adjusted and approved last week, included 200 million dollars in grants for individual counties and individual municipalities. Every county and every city in the state of Tennessee will be receiving grants, proportionate to their population, to be sure they have the money necessary to attack Covid-19.

“We do not only have a health care crisis but also an economic crisis. We have unemployment claims being filed in the state of Tennessee at a record pace. Never before have we seen these daily filings for unemployment. Every day sets a new record. We are in an incredible rapid downturn in our economy that will profoundly, financially and economically affect Tennesseans from one end of the state to the other. We are doing everything as a state to mitigate those economic damages well. There’s a lot of work being done. Through the Department of Labor, the Department of Human Services, our Department of Health, we are providing access to relief for the unemployed, for those who need child care, for those who have found themselves in a lesser economic situation as a result of Covid-19. We are about to get relief from the Federal Government for businesses, for industry and for individuals. So, there’s a lot of work being done and a lot of focus being put on the health crisis but being turned to the economic crisis as well also.

“While this is urgent, it’s a crisis, we see great challenges ahead of us, there’s nowhere like Tennesseans to address it. We watched the tornadoes ravage our state, and we watched Tennesseans rise up like never before. We know we are a unique set of people here in Tennessee. We rise to the occasion like none other.  And this is our chance to do the same. We have a tremendous challenge before us but we will get through it. We have a storm above us, but the storm is passing. The decisions we make today, the degree we rise us together will provide hope for tomorrow.

When asked if the he had ruled out a two-week stay at home order, he responded saying he had not ruled out anything, that they take these decisions one day at a time.

“The data is changing constantly. I spoke yesterday with five different epidemiologists, and industries who employee about 300,000 Tennesseans across the state. We’re trying to gauge the economic impact in urban centers and rural counties, as well as, the spread of the virus.

“We have made a number of steps to limit the gathering of people. Executive orders that call for 10 or less in a social gathering, closing dining rooms and restaurants, closing bars and gyms all together. We’ve made a number of social distancing decisions in the state. Municipalities, I applaud the mayors of some of our largest cities for making decisions they thought were appropriate ones. Together the leaders of this state are working thoughtfully to protect the health of Tennesseans. At the same time considering the economic impact every decisions makes.