Coronavirus

(TDH press release) Today, the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) announced the state has received shipments of the Merck and Pfizer oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for molnupirvar by Merck and an emergency use authorization for Paxlovid™ by Pfizer as oral antiviral treatments …

Even with the uptick in COVID-19 cases across the globe and the US due to the Omicron variant, officials with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) are cutting isolation restrictions in half for asymptomatic individuals who catch it, as well as quarantine recommendations for those who are considered …

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is providing extra support to thousands of families who receive monthly cash assistance through the state’s Families First program. Households qualifying as a “child-only” case in October will receive a one-time payment of $950 on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on December …

The Tennessee Department of Health says it is working to address the new Omicron COVID-19 variant. Department officials provided a statement on the variant, saying that TDH Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey has been briefed by federal officials on the variant and that they are “monitoring the situation closely.” At this …

Friday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee took the following actions on legislation passed during the October 30 extraordinary legislative session: Signed Legislation ·         SB 9014: COVID omnibus bill ·         SB 9007: special session appropriations bill ·         SB 9008: regarding district attorneys pro tem ·         HB 9072: regarding partisan school boards ·         HB 9073: regarding Treasurer bill …

The Tennessee Department of Health says that now that the CDC has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use on children ages 5-11 years old, kid-sized doses can be administered starting as early as today (November 4th, 2021). In a press release, TDH officials say that while young children often have …

(TDH) The Tennessee Department of Health will begin offering booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to certain populations, beginning Monday, October 25. For individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at 6 months or more after they complete the initial series:• …

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally and Speaker of the State House of Representatives Cameron Sexton called for a special session of the General Assembly on Tuesday to discuss what they described as “overreaching health care mandates,” and other COVID-19 issues. McNally, who represents Oak Ridge in the State Senate, said, “The …

This Saturday, October 23rd, there will be a free vaccination event in Oak Ridge.  Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Oak Ridge, the Oak Ridge Senior Center, and the St. Mary’s chapter of the Knights of Columbus, the event will be held at Munsey’s Pharmacy at 106 Administration Road in …

(Bob Fowler, Roane State staff writer)  As frontline medical professionals continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, Roane State Community College organized a special event to give some of our local healthcare heroes a break from their busy and often stressful work.  On Wednesday, October 6, Roane State’s nursing program clinical …