MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee visited Regional One Health in Memphis as the vaccine was rolled out to many hospital workers in the city Thursday.
“One of the real hopes for this day is that it will be the beginning of the end for the coronavirus,” Lee said. “But we have a long way to go.”
Lee said a change in behavior, including masking, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings, was needed to defeat the virus.
Reginald Coopwood, president and CEO with Regional One Health, said the hospital planned to “put a vaccine in every willing arm.”
Regional One has received 1,950 doses of the doses, enough to cover hospital employees who have direct contact with patients. A hospital representative said about 50% of employees had responded favorably to reveiving the vaccine. The hospital was not making the vaccine mandatory. About 100 people were vaccinated Thursday, and more shots would happen over the next few days.
Several doctors spoke at the event, sharing their experiences watching COVID patients gasping on ventilators and saying goodbye to loved ones.
Tennessee reported 8,945 new cases Thursday for a total of 493,230. The day before saw cases increase by 11,410. The state also reported its largest one-day increase in deaths, 177 new deaths for a total of 5,845.
Hospitals in Arkansas and Mississippi received their first shipments of the vaccine earlier in the week. Lee defended the state’s strategy for rolling out the vaccine.
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