ER Doctor Pleads With Gov. Lee For Mask Mandate Amid Hospitalization Surge

Another Tennessee physician has joined numerous others in asking Governor Bill Lee to implement a statewide mask mandate amid a surge in COVID-19 related hospitalizations.

Dr. James Parnell, an ER physician at Sumner Regional Medical Center, shared a Twitter thread on Tuesday (December 15) addressing Gov. Lee about the growing number of cases.

"Update on my Emergency Department shift last night. With no beds in our hospital, closest available hospital with beds available for transfer was out of state. A story of 3 patients as an example of how this affects even non-Covid patients."

"In the last week, I have diagnosed patients with a traumatic head bleed, kidney stone, and skin infection, all COVID +," Dr. Parnell added. "It is raging so much in our communities right now that we cannot contain it. COVID19 is being spread before people even know they have it. We need your help."

Dr. Parnell said one out of 100 people in Tennessee currently has COVID-19, which he says creates a probable chance for exposure and needs to be combatted by a statewide mask mandate.

"1/100 of people in Tennessee currently have COVID. CURRENTLY. Not past infections. Right now," Dr. Parnell tweeted. "At the grocery store in TN right now, it’s probable someone with COVID is there too. When these patients need hospitalization in 7-10 days, we are going to be in an even worse place."

"@Govbilllee - please enact a statewide mask mandate. Please allow those 975 vaccines in your office in your Twitter photo op to be for front line workers. Even a single dose is more effective than a dose in a box. Please help," Dr. Parnell added.

On Tuesday (December 15,) the Tennessee Department of Health reported 472,875 total COVID-19 cases, which included 8,251 new cases in a 24-hour span and 68,277 active cases, as well as 74 new and 5,615 deaths in relation to the coronavirus.

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