Tennessee governor bill lee held a hearing yesterday on how his state is handling coronavirus response. Governor lee good afternoon. Hank you for joining for our wednesday covid19 briefing for the state of tennessee. Talk about in to covid1919, i want to revisit and continue to talk about the disaster that our state continues to face, the tornadoes that happened earlier this month and the subsequent damage that tornadoes. Om those yesterday, i received word that disaster pproved our declaration, which opens up funding, among other things, for the remaining counties that had not previously been approved. Affected are now covered by fema. Hat would be denton county, carol, davidson, putnam, smith, and wilson counties. While other states are somewhat solely focused on covid19, we here in tennessee those e to focus on victims of the tornadoes on their families, on the relief targeted efforts that we have put in places for victims tornadoes. And we will continue to do so. The support and that the victims receive from the state and federal government also communities support the substantial Community Support thats out there. Tennessee people in that are still significantly to cted by the tornadoes know we support them, thinking about them, praying for them and substand making certain there is targeted effort headed and continue to be in their direction. I want to address c. D. C. Funding. States a a status update regarding support or childcare facilities, in particular. I want to talk a little bit about the uninsured and our to obtain funding for the uninsured. Nd for an update from general holmes. Hell be giving an update, holmes, regarding the National Guard. Our case count today is 784 cases out of 11,796 total tests. Dr. Piercy will be able to around urther questions specific numbers later in the question and answer period. Make a couple comments about our testing. Pledged 10 s million for states and for us to toward costs ly 19 the covivid covid19 crisis. Reviewing the guidance from the c. D. C. We are at the same ime that funding has been promised, we are spending on testing. On supplies for testing, on testing, and i talked a lot about testing in the last several weeks and well because i believe hat it is one of the most important things we can do to blunt the severity of the onset cases across in tennessee. Been incredibly focused on expanding testing in have a e so we can better handle of where the virus is in our state. Do want to report that tennessee is a leader in many we are in leader in testing. What i would call a proportional in our region. So the number of tests compared the population, the tests per capita, or for in other testing more than states around us that have populations. So were doing more testing than most of our neighboring states. That because i genuinely believe that will help us to a real Significant Impact surge. Severity of the yesterday, i announced that schools will remain closed until 24. L what that means is that families cross tennessee will have a greater need for childcare. Any of them temporarily found ways to provide childcare for their children who were out of weve now extended that date and that makes that situation even more important to families. So the department of human ervices has deployed 10 million of Emergency Response existingery grants for childcare facilities across our state to provide the needed to make sure that child cared for safely in this new covid19 environment. Had ao asked for and have lot of response for folks tanding up childcare in this state. If a church or a gym or a an rofit wants to open emergen emergency, temporary childcare acility here in tennessee, especially if theyre opening childcare facilities for Health Grocery store clerks and those that need to be n the front lines in our community, then they can do so by requesting within the department of Human Services can online with tennessee of department of Human Services, make your request, and we are accommodate rapidly the ability of expanding Childcare Services across the state. Weve also heard that many having facilities are trouble staying open because they dont have access to leaning supplies that make it that allow them to practice their hygiene and to environment for children. So i have directed the department of Human Services to reach out to each existing childcare facility in and we will help you organize and we will organize to those needed supplies for you. So if youre a childcare or you know a Childcare Provider who is struggling to to keep needed supplies their center open and safe for us. , please reach out to well make sure we address that. Questions lot of about the concerns about tennesseans who may have to Deal Associated with covid19 who are uninsured. Directed our department of tenncare to make a request to c. M. S. , the center or medical services at the federal government, for a waiver o allow us to have medicaid dollars to be used for serving those tennesseans who currently covered by health care and that we know that as this moves through the state will needs. Alth care the status of that is but i want to give an update because its such an important issue and i want you how hard were working on it. Spoke yesterday with the director of c. M. S. In washington. Expressing the need for this and reiterating the details of our proposal and asking for any need. Ation they might i also have spoken with our alexander, and marsha blackburn, who is helping as well. Done we feel encouraged about that. We want to make certain we to health care, specifically related to for every tennessean. General o i want to up. Es to come the National Guard has activated a number of folks around the state. Let him give comments on specifically what those what guard members are doing. I give a couple more comments and then well open it up for questions. Just want to say thank you. Theres a lot of folks out in tennessee that are doing exactly what they need to do. Want to encourage every tennessean to do to take your wn personal responsibility to help save the lives of your neighbors. This is a health care crisis. Are getting sick. People are dying in tennessee. Our fellow some of tennesseans already, and we will lose more. Need to all remember we can talk about statistics and data nd testing and assessments and resources, but were talking about peoples lives and and the safety and protection of our neighbors. E need we need folks to help. We need folks to do their part. I want to give a shoutout to the donations that have come in for personal protective equipment. Avenues that g were very hopeful about the acquiring the kinds of p. P. E. That we need in this one of ut part of that, those avenues is to ask for donations. We have had as the dental clinics closed doubt and Outpatient Surgery Centers down, doctors, dentists, clinicians of all types have donated p. P. E. Supplies to the National Guard armory. Ere very grateful for the corporation. We ask for every health care find those to practices and those places that hey know of that have protective equipment that could desperately be used by our ealth care providers and to bring that forward. I say, too, companies. Come Many Companies have forthwith not just innovative, creative, technical ways in with they can help but donations as well. The Construction Industry has in large part in a very big way multiple Companies Across that equipmentre providing and supplies, masks and such, that will be very helpful. Too, thats about protecting the lives of the Health Care Workers that are protect the lives of our neighbors. A group, a sewing group that used to meet together. These ladies now are independently meeting, staying ome by themselves, but they stay connected with each other and theyre sewing masks and mask covers in their homes. Them donated to officials. Ocal so everyone, everyone can help. Everyone can engage. Can be part of this, and together we will overcome it. Ajor general holmes, if youll ome up and make a few comments about our efforts and then well open it up to questions. Thank you, es governor. As the governor announced esterday, we mobilized 250 soldiers and airmen within the tennessee National Guard. Large contingent of medical specialists that ranges everywhere from combat edics all the way up to providers. 100re are also approximately general support, soldiers and specific role. A they can be couriers, they can to any type of mission. I know the governor mentioned the tornado response. Our ve been deploying guardsmen since march 3, literally six hours of daylight we put our first boots on the ground, and were continuing that. E still have 75 that are completing debris removal operations in wilson county. Thats scheduled to be complete next three days. Process for deploying soldiers very systematic. We alert, we mobilize, and then e deploy to areas of operations. Were currently in the phase. Ation so the current the Current Force Structure we have now, a mobilization site cyrima. They under syrmna. And will be equipped dispatched and deployed to the areas of responsibility. Actually alerting our soldiers and airmen early last week. Always take an aggressive predict anyrying to possible missions that may arise and we have done that. Initially alerting 50 soldiers and airmen. We rapidly increased that to 150 and we made a decision, the governor made a decision on mark. To go to 250 thats just simply in response thehe upward trajectory of possible needs. We cannot afford to wait on the sidelines. We have to go big. Early. To go we have to be there before the were doing and exactly that. I know this is going to result n some possible questions in regards to our mission. So i need to be very clear on that. Ur mission is the humanitarian mission. It is not a Law Enforcement mission. Always reportwill to civil authorities. N this case, the department of health. And they will do that in every instance. Well not be conducting any law nforcement missions of any kind. As the governor mentioned reiterate i want to and thank our employers. Its truly a partnership. Partnership for our soldiers and airmens ability to serve their state. It is a ize that hardship, in many cases. The kr ecognize riticality of our soldiers, specifically our medical providers in the clinics. We are not pulling them out of sector role and we will not do that. We realize its going to take efforts. As exemplified by the volunteer spirit, we also have a thousand that are standing by and ready to mobilize. Nd ill tell you, we have 12,883 soldiers and airmen in this state. Not get into the numbers deployed. Every last number will be deploy in any area and do any mission thats required of our state. So the National Guard is a a military ple of force thats tailored to support in domestic operations. Communitybased. Were already familiar with our from the state level all the way to the local level. Hese are citizens that are serving citizens. They dont have to deploy from a remote base, station, or camp. Deploy from their Readiness Centers which are in all counties throughout tennessee. Gear and y pack their they deploy. We are also in contact daily, day, with the a department of defense and all their respective agencies from army, r force and including the National Guard bureau. We continue to monitor. Share inue to information. We look at all assets, regardless if theyre federal or state. Were to occur and we do need assets, the federal entity, forces will be brought into the state and they will still work under the direction governor. Ill stop there and subject to questions, sir. Governor lee well open up the line for questions. Questioners to know we have members of our unified team here, department of health, fema, department of the directors. Nd so any questions that you have to direct to them as well, just know theyre in the room. So why dont we open up the line for questions . The questions. P jonathan with a. L. Unmuted. , your line is caller hey, governor. That r office said today under the executive order on medical procedures hat that would cover elective abortions. I was wondering, how do you define elective . There any sort of ep forcement enforcement components to that . You check and make sure these procedures arent happening . Governor lee the executive certainly was crafted in personal rovide protective equipment. Thats what that protective executive order was established for. For the suspension n the Health Care Facilities across the state for nonelective rocedures so we can preserve the supplies necessary to serve that are sick and potentially at risk of their lives. Its very important we do that. Reason we suspended nonelected surgeries. Specifically, about nonelective abortion and other re like any nonessential procedure. Same. Ould be treated the y expectation and my belief, not certainly my expectation, certainly nonessential procedures would be performed in state during this during the crisis and during this time those need all of supplies to be used on the front lines of protecting citizens. Eric with news channel 5. Unmuted. R line is eric hi, governor. My question is, why is the department of Health Numbers reported different than the locally reported numbers . Your National PublicHealth Department eported 355 positive cases yesterday. But today the department of health still reporting 188 cases. Is that a lag p, we should be expecting in all ounties, not just some of the larger some . Governor lee ill let the you more about that. She knows more about the data. Thank you for the question. Discussed yesterday, youre exactly right. There is a lag in reporting. A disclaimer on our website that says we report of data a, every piece that we have by 2 00 p. M. Every day. So i would caution you to expect some local numbers to be ahead of hours. But please be reassured we will those in our numbers but there may be a lag. Sergio well go to public. From national your line is unmuted. Sergio thank you, good morning, our nswering you are uestions our questions today. The governor of kentucky said someone was positive after a party. Irus is this something you see . O you know if its one of our cases . Because of the Coronavirus Party . State do what can the young people coming out . Governor lee i dont know if there was anyone at our state at that party so we dont know about the specifics of event or whether that produced a case in our state or not. This about gatherings. Thats how people contract this right . The next group of young people went to a party and now some it. S have as you know, young people are ot excluded from risk in this this. I dont know i read a story young person for sure hat was maybe somewhere around 20 years old, i believe, that lost their life in this skun. Of t have that in front in this country. Me. Nt have it in front of it is not as affected but they are not excluded. Take it seriously i will say this, too, about tennessee. 11,000 , we tested folks, and now we have the what, 784 positive cases. We in our state are testing tionately positive for young people. O i think its part of the reasons that some of our more populated cities have restrictive social istancing rules because they know the concentrations whats going on amongst those young population areas is the problem. I dont know about the articulars of that case, but i know it brings to light the causes its a ignoring ther that uidance and ignoring the suggestions and being unwise in doinging with friends and things that you know have been purported to be dangerous with spread of the virus, its real. Costly. And its about the health and safety of our tennesseans and neighbors. So we strongly encourage folks to follow guidance and keep each safe. Next, well go to joep with the tennessean. Your line is unmuted. Joel hey, good morning. Questions. Answering 5. 6 . S. Census bureau says of tennessees population is hispanic or latino. Thats about theres also living in o kurds flashl. In nashville. I im curious. Why hasnt the state spread this other language . Overnor lee thats a good question. The data will be shared through public health, i would guess. Joel. N, thank you for the question, joel. If im understanding you asking about re cultural sensitivity which we value highly at the department health. Of at the local level, we have he ability to translate all of our educational materials and all of our Clinical Care into languages. We have multiple Health Departments that have one or two or three interpreters on staff, pecifically for our Spanish Speaking population. We have fulltime capability for Language Line and all of our patient materials. So we value cultural sensitivity highly. Well go to nancy. Unmuted. Ur line is y nancy, are you there . Ok. We will proceed. To andy. Andy, your line is unmuted. Me . can you hear governor lee yes, sir. Right. Ll i think the Hamilton Medical of ety which is comprised doctors, has reached out to you folks and trying to find out of the 150 much Million Dollars that you secured assembly for al covid19 response might be going to various local, you know, efforts and e theyre saying theyre short of ey equipment and that sort of thing. Of here a chance of some that 150 million going to some of the needed equipment . Overnor lee i think the 150 million will be spent all over the state in multiple communities, you know, that we put together a unified command team here that is in the process of. Has just taken place a couple days ago. Were in the process of line of ing a ommunication between our unified command team and local counties and and the governments associated with those. Had a with yesterday largestce call with the counties and cities in our state that communication line so we would understand exactly what their needs are and we can coordinate efforts. The answer is, yes, those ollars will be spent in multiple communities all across the state. For that has not been put in place but the assimilation of information from communities has begun. Really, there is a broader conversation, too, because as we now, the federal government is about to or hopefully they are about to give us some on federal funding that more opportunity to understand what funds are needed needs. The you can be certain every ommunity and every county and Hamilton County for certain ertainly will be part of the funding thats distributed for covid19. Recall, e way, as you in our budget in the general revised budget, the governor, when we proposed o the general assembly, we initial had 100 million. The es the 150 million in covid emergency fund. We have pushed 200 million, specifically directed cities, every county and every municipality in tennessee through a grant through the department of finance administration will totaling 200 million across the state. So those funds will go directly to the local county and those and they have discretion on how to use it within articular guidelines around infrastructure and covid19. Theres a couple of sources of unding from the state that are coming to your community and to every community. Well leave the last few minutes of this briefing with a at nder you can see this cspan. Org coronavirus. Well take you now to louisiana. John bel edwards giving an update on that states response to the coronavirus pandemic