The following is a COVID-19 March 20 update from City of Jackson Mayor Scott Conger:
Latest Information:
-The West TN Healthcare Foundation COVID-19 Response Fund continues to grow. If your business would like to make a donation, please reach out to them directly. The fund will be used by non-profit agencies to work directly with people who have been severely impacted by this crisis.
-Madison County Mayor Jimmy Harris closed all bars and nightclubs in the county. Restaurants were also directed to operate at 50% capacity.
-We are working to secure more transport tubes for the testing kits to test more people.
-On Thursday, March 19, Governor Bill Lee made amendments to unemployment guidelines for people who are quarantined by a doctor and temporarily out of work. The executive order also temporarily suspends the waiting week for unemployment benefits. More details can be found at www.tn.gov.
The best way to combat this virus is to follow CDC guidelines- avoid gatherings of 10 or more, stay 6 feet apart, stay home if you are sick and wash your hands. The virus will spread faster and overwhelm the healthcare system if we cannot do this.
Gyms, salons, nail salons are not being asked to close but we are strongly advising the practice of social distancing. We are asking that gyms adhere to item 6 of the executive order which can be found by clicking the Coronavirus Update tab at www.cityofjackson.net.
During our daily briefing, the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department gave us an update on case numbers for Jackson-Madison County. There are 10 tests pending. So far, we have had 0 positive tests and 12 cleared. The State of TN confirmed positive count is now 228. These numbers do not include private testing labs.
For the Jackson-Madison County Health Department, call 731-423-3020
For information on non-emergency resources through United Way of West TN, call: 2-1-1.
To report price gouging contact the State of Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs at www.tn.gov/consumer or call 615-741-4737.