August 7, 2020
The Honorable Governor Bill Lee
1st Floor, State Capitol
Nashville, TN 37243
Dear Governor Lee,
As I write this letter, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Tennessee has risen 11 percent in the last two weeks. Recently, every county in our state had a transmission rate deemed "unacceptable." Schools are now beginning to open, and I fear that we are about to experience a surge both in cases and deaths. As a man of faith who, like you, is committed to the preservation of life, I cannot sit idly by. On behalf of Tennesseans whose health is in your hands, I implore you to issue a statewide mask mandate.
During this crisis, your actions have been deliberate and thoughtful to ensure that individuals' health and safety remain the priority. Your decision to begin testing in nursing homes and prisons has been invaluable in curbing the spread of the virus among these vulnerable populations. It is time to take the next step in the fight against COVID-19 and issue this mandate to protect every Tennessean.
As an infectious disease expert who has spent my entire career studying diseases and their transmission, I cannot stress enough that - while we would like to believe that the spread of the virus in one county has little bearing on another - COVID-19 does not respect borders. The time for individual buy-in among mayors has passed. Nearly 60% of Tennessee's active cases have come in the last four weeks, indicating that we are on the brink of a potentially major surge across the state. We need a coordinated, statewide response to combat this virus and that can only be achieved with your forceful leadership, particularly on masking.
Decisions made during this pandemic should be guided by science, and the science clearly dictates that masks effectively reduce transmission. They provide an important barrier that prevents the spread of respiratory droplets, especially from asymptomatic people. We have seen the transmission rate drop in Nashville due in large part to the mask mandate. We immediately need a similar mandate statewide.
Our fate is in your hands, Governor. Please help us work together to overcome COVID-19.
Sincerely,
Dr. James E.K. Hildreth
President and CEO
Meharry Medical College