(WJHL) — Four out of seven Northeast Tennessee counties found their way back onto the CDC’s radar due to high spread rates of the novel coronavirus.
According to a tool on the CDC’s website that shows community levels by county, Carter, Greene, Washington and Unicoi counties have a high level of spread.
Health officials urge people in these areas to wear a mask in indoor public settings, stay up to date with the COVID-19 vaccine and get tested if symptoms appear. Those with compromised immune systems should avoid non-essential indoor activities, maintain improved ventilation indoors and have plans for rapid testing if needed. More information is available here.
Hawkins and Sullivan counties have medium community levels, according to the CDC, and Johnson County’s is classified as low.
Despite this, the CDC recommends even those in low and medium COVID-19 community levels continue to stay up to date on vaccines.
The CDC classifies low, medium and high community levels with the following criteria:
Ballad Health on Tuesday reported that 95 COVID-19 patients remain hospitalized in its facilities, with 14 patients in the ICU and six depending on ventilators. This is an increase from last Tuesday when the health system housed 84 COVID-19 patients.
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