Kentucky state Sen. Ralph Alvarado, R-Winchester, will soon be heading to Tennessee.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced Alvarado, a medical doctor and healthcare executive, will become the next commissioner of the state’s Department of Health. The move takes effect January 16.
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Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey is stepping down from her role as the head of the state agency.
According to a release from Governor Bill Lee’s office, Piercey is accepting a role in the private sector. Her last day in the position will be May 31.
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Cases of a common seasonal virus that can be deadly to young children and the elderly are exploding, according to an East Tennessee Hospital.
East Tennessee Children’s Hospital says that it treated more cases of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in July than it had for the rest of 2021 in total, according to a WATE report.
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Despite the fact that only 23 people under the age of 20 are currently hospitalized in the state of Tennessee with COVID-19, the state’s health director is scaremongering, telling reporters that all of the pediatric hospitals in the state will soon be full.
Dr. Lisa Piercey said Thursday that every children’s hospital in the state will be full as children contract the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus.
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Dr. Michelle Fiscus, the recently fired director of the Tennessee Department of Health’s (TDH) Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program (VPDIP), blasted Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey this week for the latter’s handling of a $26.5 million COVID-testing contract.
“We knew that she was not being truthful with that committee,” Fiscus said to NewsChannel 5, referring to testimony Piercey gave before the state legislature last December.
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Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey announced on Friday that more than 1,000 individuals throughout the safe have tested positive for the coronavirus after being fully vaccinated.
Of the fully vaccinated individuals who have suffered these numerous “breakthrough” cases, 195 have been hospitalized, with 27 patients passing away.
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Select Tennessee prisoners will now receive COVID-19 vaccinations, following a report on officials’ apparent hesitancy to prioritize them initially. The state progressed to Phase 1C of its vaccination plan earlier this week, which extends vaccines to those prisoners who are 65 and older or have eligible health conditions. Others now eligible to receive the vaccine are individuals 16 years old and older that have diabetes, Down syndrome, or any progressive neuromuscular diseases, or live in households with pregnant women.
The announcement to vaccinate these prisoners came shortly after it was discovered that officials determining the order of vaccine priority groups were hesitant to prioritize prisoners due to the optics of placing them ahead of other citizens. The Pandemic Vaccine Planning Stakeholder group, an advisory panel that assists in vaccine rollout decisions and communication with citizens across the state, reportedly stated during one of its meetings that prioritizing prisoners could prove a public relations “nightmare” and, possibly, a state liability. The Associated Press discovered these remarks in an open records request for the group’s meeting notes late last week.
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Gov. Bill Lee and his wife Maria are in quarantine out of precaution after the governor tested negative for COVID-19 after a member of his security team contracted the virus.
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The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed the first 2019 case of measles in East Tennessee. The department said is investigating after the State Public Health Laboratory confirmed a positive test for the illness in a resident of East Tennessee. While the investigation is currently centered in East Tennessee, all Tennesseans should be aware of measles and its symptoms, the Health Department said. These symptoms may include fever, runny nose, body aches, watery eyes and white spots in the mouth. The illness is typically accompanied by a red, spotty rash that begins on the face and spreads over the body. Nearly one in three measles patients will develop ear infections, diarrhea or pneumonia. Measles can be fatal in about one to two out of every 1,000 cases. “Our efforts are focused on preventing the spread of illness to others,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Tim Jones. The measles virus is highly contagious and can stay airborne or live on surfaces for up to two hours. People recently infected with measles may not have any symptoms of illness, but can transmit the virus for about five days before the typical measles rash appears. “Most people in Tennessee are vaccinated against measles and…
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Tennessee Gov.-elect Bill Lee on Thursday announced appointments to his Cabinet for the Department of Health, the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and the Department of General Services. “We have been committed to building a team that represents each Grand Division and I am pleased to add appointees who represent West, Middle and East Tennessee at the table,” Lee said in a press release. “I look forward to working together to implement a conservative vision for Tennessee.” The new appointments are: • Dr. Lisa Piercey – Department of Health • Brad Turner – Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities • Christi Branscom – Department of General Services Piercey, of Gibson County, currently serves as the executive vice president of West Tennessee Healthcare. In this role she oversees a roster of hospitals with an emphasis on rural hospitals in Bolivar, Camden, Milan, Dyersburg and Martin. Piercey’s clinical background is in pediatrics with a specialization in child abuse pediatrics. She serves as the Medical Director for the Madison County Child Advocacy Center and is also on faculty at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Longtime Jackson conservative talk radio host Frankie Lax told The Tennessee Star that the appointment of Dr. Piercey gives West…
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