Five things to know about COVID-19 in the Chattanooga region for the week ending Dec. 11 – Chattanooga Times Free Press

Every week, the Times Free Press will publish five essential things to know about the coronavirus pandemic in the Chattanooga region. For more updated case count numbers and other data related to Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, visit timesfreepress.com/virus.

Five things to know about COVID-19 in the Chattanooga region for the week ending Dec. 11.

1. Hospitalizations across region near capacity, showing the strain on local health systems: Providers in Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia pushed to the brink.

Why it matters: In the past week ICU beds in the city of Athens in McMinn County, Tennessee, hit 100% occupancy and the city of Cleveland in Bradley County reached 99% occupancy. Similarly, the 10-county North Georgia Health District reported being at 97% capacity. Under normal circumstances, staff can be called in to help care for an influx of patients, but that is more of a challenge as staffing shortages due to the COVID-19 surge plague most of the nation.

Read more about the worrying hospitalization statistics in Tennessee and how the same trend is playing out in Georgia.

2. Dizzying Hamilton County Schools developments leave schedule for spring semester uncertain: Schools go fully online this coming week as COVID-19 cases continue to climb.

Why it matters: On Thursday, Hamilton County Schools announced students would go to online-only school next week as the number of active cases in the county remains high. The quick shift also resulted in the suspension of winter sports until January. What the changes mean for the spring semester, starting Jan. 6, remains unknown. The school system reported this week that nearly 8,000 more students plan to return to the classroom after trying virtual learning in the fall.

Read more about the online-only announcement, what the suspension of winter sports means for their seasons and the logistical challenges schools could face with more in-person students in the spring.

3. COVID-19 vaccines set to arrive in Tennessee after months of uncertainty: Vaccine likely to receive emergency use authorization in Washington D.C. soon.

Why it matters: Arrival of the vaccine in Tennessee in the coming days is a welcome development. But public health experts know that injecting two doses of vaccine into the bodies of 4.8 million Tennesseans how many people it is estimated need to be vaccinated in order to ultimately control COVID-19 will not be easy. Health leaders face not only logistical challenges but high levels of skepticism in communities.

Read more about how state leaders plan to navigate complicated logistics, unexpected challenges and inevitable supply shortages.

4. Hamilton County reports 12 new COVID-19 deaths, marking the deadliest day for the virus in Chattanooga: Opening days of December nearly break record death total for an entire month.

Why it matters: Hamilton County is beginning to see the effects of Thanksgiving gatherings as cases rise, hospitalization totals are breaking records and deaths are spiking. On Tuesday, the Hamilton County Health Department reported 12 new coronavirus deaths, the deadliest day for the virus to date. There are few indications that this trend will slow as case totals and positivity rates of new tests remain at record highs.

Read more about what the spike in deaths could mean for the virus during the winter months.

5. From acrylic shields to plastic bubbles, how Santa is staying safe in the Chattanooga area: Christmas season brings new challenges to old traditions.

Why it matters: With Christmas two weeks away, area families are trying to make the season special but having to navigate a dangerous reality with cases at an all-time high and many of the seasonal staples unavailable. But in Collegedale, Santa still found a festive way to meet children situated in a giant plastic snow globe. Similarly, staff at Rock City are working to ensure safety in their winter wonderland.

Read more about the changes to local holiday traditions in the age of COVID-19.

What are your experiences with the coronavirus? Are you or someone you love affected by it? What questions do you have? We would like to hear from you, so please contact efite@timesfreepress.com or wmassey@timesfreepress.com.

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Five things to know about COVID-19 in the Chattanooga region for the week ending Dec. 11 - Chattanooga Times Free Press