Oak Ridge Today

New COVID-19 case rate continues slow decline

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These charts show the number of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations reported by month in Anderson County from March 2020 through May 2021. (Data from Tennessee Department of Health/Charts by Oak Ridge Today)

The average number of new COVID-19 cases reported each day in Anderson County has continued to slowly decline in May and early June, and the positivity rate has remained low. However, 10 more hospitalizations and one more death have been reported in the past three weeks.

The average number of new cases in the county during the past two weeks has been 3.6. That’s down from an average of 5.6 new cases per day during the previous two weeks.

It appears to be the lowest number of new cases per day, on average, since one year ago, in June 2020. That was before COVID-19 cases peaked in Anderson County in July and then peaked again in the winter, with many more cases, hospitalizations, and deaths from November 2020-January 2021.

The decline in the average number of new cases per day has been slow, especially starting in about April. Oak Ridge Today reported more than three weeks ago that the new daily case average had dropped to about six, and the positivity rate was about 3 percent.

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COVID-19 city updates; Oak Ridge Library re-opens June 1

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Oak Ridge Public Library
The Oak Ridge Public Library is pictured above.

City government facilities are returning to normal operations after more than a year of trying to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and the Oak Ridge Public Library will return to normal operating hours on Tuesday, June 1.

However, not all Oak Ridge municipal departments and services have returned to full capacity, a press release said.

Here is a COVID-19 update provided by the City of Oak Ridge on Friday:

Departmental services are continuing. City officials strongly urge citizens to conduct their business electronically, over the phone, and by mail whenever possible. Financial transactions can be handled electronically and via mail. If you need to reach a department, call the number listed below for each department or click here for a list of all departments. You can also reach a department by email or social media.

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AMSE re-opens

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The American Museum of Science and Energy is pictured above on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

After a long closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Museum of Science and Energy has re-opened.

AMSE re-opened at 9 a.m. Friday, May 21.

AMSE will be open to a limited number of visitors at a time, 50. Museum visitors will be asked to maintain an appropriate physical distance from others (the general guidance has been to maintain a distance of six feet or more, when possible, from people who live outside your home).

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Roane State ends COVID-19 mask requirement for fully vaccinated

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Part of the Oak Ridge branch campus of Roane State Community College is pictured above. (Photo by Roane State)

Roane State Community College is ending its face mask requirement for people who are fully vaccinated. The college also ended its daily wellness screening requirement on campus on Monday.

The changes are updates to the college’s pandemic response plan as COVID-19 cases decline in the area, state, and nation.

“These changes follow updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued on May 13,” Roane State said in a press release. “Over the next few weeks, Roane State will be working to implement these new protocols within its response plan and communicate changes to the campus community.”

Until further notice, Roane State will maintain some of the preventive measures put in place during the pandemic in order to keep campuses as safe as possible. Protocols that will remain in place include:

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COVID-19 vaccines at ORHS for students 12 and older in June

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Oak Ridge Schools and Anderson County Health Department will have a vaccine clinic for students 12 and older in June.

The vaccine clinic will be in Wildcat Arena at Oak Ridge High School on June 4 and 25. It will feature the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, with the first shot on Friday, June 4, and the second on Friday, June 25. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose.

The vaccine clinic will begin at 9 a.m. both days.

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New COVID-19 cases drop to 6 per day, positivity rate below 3 percent

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A daily snapshot of COVID-19 cases in Anderson County on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, includes, among other information, the daily number of new cases and the daily positivity rate. (Graphic by Tennessee Department of Health)

The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Anderson County has dropped to about six new cases per day, on average, and the positivity rate is now at less than 3 percent. Those are the lowest levels in months, since before the winter holiday peaks.

The last new hospitalization for COVID-19 in Anderson County was reported May 1. The last death due to COVID-19 was reported April 21, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.

The average new number of cases per day peaked at more than 100 in December, when the positivity rate was up around 20 percent. The 20 percent positivity rate meant that roughly one of five COVID-19 tests each day returned, on average, a positive result.

After those December peaks, the average number of new cases and the average positivity rate both dropped in January and tapered down overall from February to May. (New hospitalizations also peaked in December, but deaths reached their highest monthly level in January.)

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COVID-19 cases, deaths, hospitalizations have fallen

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These charts show the number of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations reported by month in Anderson County from March 2020 to April 2021. (Data from Tennessee Department of Health/Charts by Oak Ridge Today)

After peaking in December and January, the numbers of new COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations have fallen during the past three months in Anderson County.

The largest number of new COVID-19 cases, 2,524, was reported in Anderson County in December. The highest number of new hospitalizations, 43, was also reported in December. The highest number of deaths, 56, was reported in January. State officials have said holiday gatherings were at least partially to blame for the spikes after Thanksgiving.

Since January, though, the number of new COVID-19 cases has fallen almost in half each month—from 1,608 in January to 732 in February, then to 483 in March and 275 in April. That’s according to data published by the Tennessee Department of Health.

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Roane State to host COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Oak Ridge for students & employees

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Roane State Community College, in partnership with the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge, is planning a two-part vaccination clinic at its Oak Ridge Branch Campus for Roane State students and employees, a press release said.

The first clinic is scheduled for Wednesday, April 28, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Eastern time, and it will provide the first dose of the Moderna vaccine to participants. Appointments are available for students and college employees by visiting roanestate.edu/vaccine. R numbers will be required to sign up, the press release said. Students and employees from any campus location are eligible.

The clinics will be held in a drive-through format. Participants should follow signs posted on campus, and they can stay inside their vehicles the entire time. A short waiting period after receiving the shot will be required for safety. Vehicles will park in a designated area during this time.

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ORAU will support COVID-19 communications for CDC Office of Minority Health & Health Equity

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Part of the ORAU campus in central Oak Ridge is pictured above on May 29, 2017. (File photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

ORAU was recently awarded a contract by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) to provide technical communications support to the office and three COVID-19 award recipients.

ORAU will advise the development of awardee health communication plans and materials targeting limited English proficiency audiences, such as Hispanic or Asian/Pacific Islander populations, as well as help increase the communications capacity of OMHHE to respond to COVID-19 in these and other high-risk communities, a press release said. [Read more…]

Roane State One Stop resumes in-person student services

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Part of the Oak Ridge branch campus of Roane State Community College is pictured above. (Photo by Roane State)

Roane State Community College’s One Stop offices at the Roane County and Oak Ridge campuses have now resumed in-person student services.

Success coaches were returning to all RSCC campuses this week on a mixed schedule, a press release said. When scheduling appointments with success coaches, students will be able to select from in-person and virtual meeting options.

One Stop staff at the Roane County and Oak Ridge campuses moved to virtual operations earlier this year due to COVID-19 protocols. In-person One Stop services remained available at RSCC satellite campuses during this time, the press release said.

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Gov. Lee lifts nursing home restrictions, extends state of emergency

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Bill Lee

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Friday said he has extended a limited state of emergency through April 28 and lifted state visitation restrictions on nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

The governor said he signed executive orders 77, 78, and 79.

“Our state’s COVID-19 numbers continue to improve thanks to efficient vaccine distribution and efforts to protect our most vulnerable citizens,” Lee said in a press release. “I have authorized continuation of a limited state of emergency through April 28 in order to keep critical healthcare deregulation in place and ensure continued federal funding compliance, and to lift state visitation restrictions on nursing home and long-term care facilities. To be very clear, my orders do not include any restriction on business. We will continue to focus on delivering vaccines to every corner of the state, ensuring kids get back in the classroom and building on our strong economic recovery.”

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COVID-19 cases down, deaths up in January

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These charts show the number of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations reported by month in Anderson County. (Charts by Oak Ridge Today)

The number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations decreased in Anderson County in January, but the number of deaths increased. The death rate, comparing total deaths to total cases, has increased significantly.

The number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Anderson County dropped by more than 900 from December to January. There were 2,524 new cases reported in Anderson County in December, according to data published by the Tennessee Department of Health. That fell to 1,608 new cases in January, a 36 percent drop. Still, that was an average of about 52 new COVID-19 cases per day last month.

December and January have been the worst two months of the pandemic so far, with November the third-worst month.

In the past two months, the number of new hospitalizations decreased by 16 percent, falling from 43 in December to 36 in January, according to the state health department data. That was an average of a little more than one new hospitalization per day in Anderson County.

However, deaths increased by 13 in January, compared to December. There were 43 COVID-19 deaths reported in Anderson County in December. That rose to 56 in January. It was a 30 percent increase. There was an average of 1.8 deaths per day due to COVID-19 in Anderson County in January.

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