Officials discuss drive-thru results, hospital updates in virtual conference

JACKSON, Tenn. — Tuesday’s COVID-19 update from the health department looked a little different, as meetings are now online.

The health department has received all of the tests back from the drive thru testing site at the Jackson Fairgrounds.

“We ended up with six positive tests from the drive thru, one being an outside county,” said Kim Tedford, Director of Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department.

Jackson-Madison County General Hospital has 10 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and three on ventilators.

The hospital installed portable air units to bring in fresh air and get rid of possible contaminated air.

Employees are also stepping up to help their coworkers.

“We have turned some of our classrooms into a garment factory,” said Amy Garner of West Tennessee Healthcare. “We had all these employees bring their own sewing machines, and we’ve got everyone spaced out so they’re socially distancing.”

They’ve made 5000 masks in just a few weeks, and they’re available to any healthcare worker who needs one.

Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris says he’s seen firsthand how stores are stepping up to protect shoppers.

“The people that were in Home Depot, I didn’t see not one person having a close contact conversation with another person,” Harris said.

And officials are talking daily about the shelter-in-place order.

“We’re under the same guidance from the state, as far as executive orders only being seven days. So I feel very confident the county and us will extend the order another seven days,” said Jackson Mayor Scott Conger.

Health officials say even when we do see positive case numbers start to decline, we can’t stop practicing social distancing.

“It’s hard right now to be away from family,” Tedford said. “I’m away from family, I’m away from my grandchildren, I’m away from my children, but that’s the best thing we can do for our loved ones right now is stay away.”

Health officials still expect the positive case numbers to keep going up over the next few weeks.