Local physician responds to comments from letter to officials

JACKSON, Tenn. — A local physician is responding to comments from local officials after he wrote a letter to them.

Dr. Jimmy Hoppers, with Physicians Quality Care, wrote a letter to Mayor Scott Conger, Mayor Jimmy Harris and Kim Tedford of the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department.

In the letter, he asks them to let those from the private sector be part of the conversation on solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials discussed his letter in the weekly COVID-19 news conference Wednesday morning, saying they follow guidance from the state department of health and the Centers for Disease Control, and have asked for input from the private sector.

Hoppers disagrees, saying the current approach in dealing with the pandemic isn’t the answer.

“We’ve got a problem. Local government and the local health department need to stop pretending they have all of the answers, and start looking for real solutions anywhere they can find them,” Hoppers said.

Health officials say they’ll continue their message of encouraging mask wearing and social distancing, and they’re hopeful for a vaccine to be available soon.

The letter can be found below: