Mornin’, Nooga. 👋 Trista here, and I have some bleak news — June is the deadliest month for COVID-19 in Hamilton County. The health department just announced the 29th death, and this time it was a Hispanic girl under the age of 10 with no underlying health conditions.
Chart of cases + deaths in Chattanooga | Screenshot NYTimes
It’s so easy to think life is “back to normal,” but according to health officials, we are not out of the woods yet. In fact, NOOGAtoday editors + interns are returning to a work-from-home setup as cases continue to rise.
Fast Facts
○ In Hamilton County, there have been 32,470 COVID-19 tests.
○ Of the 32,470, there are 2,209 confirmed positive cases.
○ There are 30,261 negative* cases.
○ Of the positive cases, 970 have recovered.
○ There are 29 reported deaths.
*These numbers may include negative results outside of Hamilton County, and there is also a delay in reporting negative results.
Precautions you can take
○ Understand how it spreads. COVID-19 spreads between people who are in close contact (think 6 ft or two arm’s length), when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks — respiratory droplets can be inhaled by or land in the mouths + noses of anyone nearby.
○ Wear a mask properly. A cloth face covering or medical mask should be over the mouth AND nose. When wearing a mask, you shouldn’t pull it down to talk, sneeze, or cough.
○ Stay home and only leave the house for essentials or to exercise outdoors. When you leave the house, it’s highly recommended to wear a mask.
○ Wash your hands often + use hand sanitizer when you can’t wash your hands.
○ Clean + disinfect surfaces you + others touch frequently, like desks, door handles, and phones.
○ Know the symptoms — fever/chills, coughing, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, sore throat, and others. The NOOGAtoday team checks our temperatures often.
Resources
○ The City of Chattanooga has an FAQ page for all your COVID-19 questions.
○ The Hamilton County Health Department Facebook is updated frequently.
○ The CDC has a lot of information, from what to do if you test positive, ways to stay safe, and how to handle stress + coping.
○ Our local resource guide is here.
○ The Chattanooga Times Free Press has taken down their paywall for COVID-19 related content. You will have to create a free account.
○ The Chattanooga Chamber has a list of personal protective equipment (PPE) resources.
