Oak Ridge Today

Y-12 reducing UPF bus riders, staggering shifts

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In this picture posted March 3, the roof is being raised at the Uranium Processing Facility Salvage and Accountability Building, and the second elevated deck is being set into place. (Photo courtesy CNS Y-12)

A federal contractor is limiting the number of employees who can ride a bus at one time to the Uranium Processing Facility construction site at the Y-12 National Security Complex and started the process of staggering shifts at the project to help keep workers separated from each other as the world tries to slow the spread of COVID-19, a contagious respiratory illness that can be deadly.

The changes at Y-12 were disclosed on Wednesday by the plant operator, Consolidated Nuclear Security, in response to questions from Oak Ridge Today after a plant employee tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

Oak Ridge Today had asked about construction workers being bused to the Uranium Processing Facility construction site from the east side of Y-12 each morning and whether the confirmation of a COVID-19 case at the 811-acre plant would affect those construction bus rides, including by possibly requiring employees to have some physical separation on the bus rides.

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Y-12 worker became ill before testing positive for COVID-19

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The sign at the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex is pictured above on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

The Consolidated Nuclear Security employee who tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday left work at the Y-12 National Security Complex after becoming ill on Thursday, March 19.

In response to questions on Wednesday, CNS did not say where the employee worked at Y-12 or if they know how the worker was infected.

CNS said the employee has been isolated at home after receiving the positive COVID-19 test result, and the plant’s medical staff are coordinating with the Tennessee Department of Health.

“The employee’s work location was disinfected along with all other locations the employee is known to have visited,” CNS said. “The employee’s activities were reviewed, and everyone who is known to have come into direct contact with the employee in the two days prior to the development of symptoms is being contacted and asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines.”

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OR Schools will be closed through at least April 15

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Note: This story was updated at 12 p.m.

Oak Ridge Schools will be closed through at least April 15, Superintendent Bruce Borchers said Tuesday.

Students were scheduled to retun to school next week after a two-week spring break that ends Friday. But Tennessee Governor Bill Lee had asked all school districts to close through at least Tuesday, March 31. It’s not clear if that statewide closure will be extended.

In the meantime, Borchers said Oak Ridge Schools intends to use 10 days that it has stockpiled for snow and emergencies to extend its closure through at least Tuesday, April 14. That means the earliest that students will return is Wednesday, April 15.

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Y-12 confirms COVID-19 case

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Consolidated Nuclear Security on Monday confirmed a case of a person with COVID-19 at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge.

Information about the case was shared with employees on Monday, March 23.

“The employee is in isolation at home, and affected work areas have been sanitized,” said CNS, which manages Y-12 and another nuclear weapons production plant, the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas.

At Y-12, CNS said other employees who have been in contact with the affected employee have been asked to self-quarantine.

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Council declares emergency, suspends utility disconnects

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Note: This story was last updated at 3:43 p.m.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Monday declared a local emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and agreed to suspend the disconnection of utilities for non-payments for up to 90 days.

The Council also agreed to let the Oak Ridge Electric Department work with ADFAC, a nonprofit organization, to supply $100,000 worth of utility aid to help residential customers. Customers would have to demonstrate that they were either laid off or had their work hours significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The temporary utility policy applies to electricity, water, sewer, and garbage service. The city is not providing the services for free, so bills will continue to accrue even if they’re not being paid. Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said the city will work with customers to make payments once life returns to normal.

“We expect this is going to be very hard on people,” Suggs told the Oak Ridge City Council during a 90-minute special meeting at noon Monday.

In a Thursday memo, Suggs said the nationwide measures taken so far to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have dramatically affected many people in Oak Ridge.

“Hotel occupancy has plummeted to historically low levels while restaurants and entertainment venues have closed or reduced hours and services,” Suggs said. “As a result, many of these enterprises are struggling to meet their financial obligations. Many employees in these industries have been laid off or had their working hours slashed to levels where they are financially unable to meet their basic financial obligations.”

Complicating the situation: Schools have closed, meaning children are at home, sometimes by themselves, and social service agencies have closed.

Suggs said most utilities in the area have suspended disconnects for non-payment for now.

“This is done in recognition that persons who are confined at home, and especially those with children, require utilities for their continued health and welfare. This is an issue not only for the individual, but also for the community at large. The same thing can be said about the shutdown of commercial or industrial accounts. While the loss of one business is a tragedy, the loss of several accounts is a community disaster.”

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With exceptions, visitors not allowed at MMC

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With some exceptions, visitors are no longer allowed at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge.

The new visitor policy was effective at the hospital on Saturday, March 21.

Exceptions to the policy include:

  • Visiting a loved one for end-of-life care.
  • A visitor vital to the care of the patient.
  • Patients coming for surgery or testing may have one caregiver accompany them.
  • Women giving birth may have one birthing partner, doula, or caregiver.

OR Schools, Aramark offering free meals to students

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Oak Ridge Schools and Aramark are offering free meals to students this week.

The meals are for Oak Ridge children under 18, a press release said. They will be “to go.”

Meals will be distributed at Glenwood Elementary School, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge Preschool, and Robertsville Middle School. All pickup locations are at drop-off circles. Breakfast is from 8 to 9:30 a.m., and lunch is from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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Covenant Health, other hospitals stop non-essential adult procedures

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This tent outside the emergency department at Methodist Medical Center is not being used as of Sunday, March 22, 2020, but it is set up in case the hospital has to expand services for a surge. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Covenant Health and other Knoxville-area hospitals will temporarily stop non-essential adult procedures starting Monday, March 23.

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge is part of Covenant Health.

In Knoxville, East Tennessee Children’s Hospital will limit certain non-essential pediatric procedures.

“Ultimately, hospitals will rely on providers to use clinical judgement and standards of care in determining when to complete a procedure,” area hospitals said in a press release Friday.

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Lee: Dine-in prohibited at restaurants, gyms must close

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An order from Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Sunday prohibits eating inside restaurants and requires gyms and fitness centers to temporarily close.

The executive order is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The order, Executive Order 17, said restaurants, bars, and similar businesses that serve food and drinks must sell food only through drive-throughs or take-outs, or by delivery.

Businesses may sell alcohol by take-out or delivery when customers buy food. But the alcohol must be in closed containers and served only to customers who are 21 years old or older.

The measures are meant to help families, businesses, and the food supply chain. Lee’s office said.

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Belk, JCPenney, theater closed

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Three of the four stores pictured above at Main Street Oak Ridge were closed as of Friday evening, March 20, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic: maurices, Rack Room Shoes, and Ulta Beauty. Rue21 was open but had announced temporary store hours. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Belk, JCPenney, and several new stores at Main Street Oak Ridge are closed. So is Cinemark Tinseltown Theater. Dick’s Sporting Goods is open for curbside pickup only.

The new stores that are closed include Burkes Outlet, maurices, Rack Room Shoes, T.J.Maxx, and Ulta Beauty.

Electronic Express, PetSmart, and Rue21 were open at last check this weekend, but they have modified hours. (Note: The response to COVID-19 changes rapidly, meaning store operations could change quickly.)

JCPenney said it plans to reopen on April 2. JCPenney said it temporarily closed for the health and safety of customers and employees. The store said it continues to offer service online at jcp.com and through its mobile application.

Cinemark Tinseltown said it is closed until further notice to comply with a local government ordinance. It’s not clear what ordinance that is. You can reach Cinemark by calling (800) 246-3627.

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COVID-19 count up to 371 as Roane, Scott report first cases

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Note: This story was last updated at 2 p.m. March 22.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Tennessee increased to 371 on Saturday, up from 228 on Friday, as Roane County and Scott County reported their first cases.

That’s a 63 percent increase from Friday to Saturday. It followed a 48 percent increase from Thursday to Friday and a 57 percent increase from Wednesday to Thursday.

Anderson County reported its first case of the contagious respiratory illness on Thursday.

The list published by the Tennessee Department of Health at 2 p.m. Central time on Saturday included two cases in Scott County and one case in Roane County. No additional information was immediately available about the three cases.

Cases in Knox County and Campbell County were reported earlier.

There are now COVID-19 cases in 33 of Tennessee’s 95 counties. The largest number of cases is still in Davidson County, which includes Nashville. There are 140 cases there, or about 38 percent of the state’s total. That’s up from 101 cases on Friday.

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Council has special meeting Monday to discuss COVID-19

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The Oak Ridge City Council will have a special meeting at noon Monday to discuss how the city is handling and addressing the new coronavirus, or COVID-19.

The special meeting will be in the Oak Ridge Municipal Building Courtroom.

To help residents watch the meeting, the meeting will be broadcast on Comcast Channel 12 and will be streamed live by the city at www.oakridgetn.gov/councilstreaming.aspx. The meeting will also be audio- and video-recorded and posted on the city’s website as soon as possible after the meeting, a press release said.

“Due to the Centers for Disease Control advisory of limiting gatherings of 10 or more individuals, the city would encourage residents to watch the meeting through one of the methods provided above,” the press release said.

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