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Dozens of business owners sign letter supporting Knox Co. Board of Health

The businesses say the Board of Health has been crucial in preventing a serious spike in COVID-19 cases, arguing dismantling it would erase all gains since March.

KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Dozens of business owners and leaders in Knox County signed a letter sent to Knox County Commissioners urging them to continue supporting the Board of Health.

This despite many seeing their small businesses and industries upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. The group said the only way they've been able to continue operating through the pandemic, though, is through the actions of the Board of Health to mitigate the spread and spikes of COVID-19.

Nearly 60 business leaders, from Thomas Boyd to AC Entertainment founder Ashley Capps, signed the letter.

The group said they believe the board's current actions are in the best interest of all businesses and residents of the community based on what they've learned and seen over the course of the pandemic.

"Everyday we, as business owners, are tasked with keeping our folks employed and safe. In doing so, we keep the economy moving forward and help to bring in tax revenue, which allows our local governments to continue to operate and provide the services so critical to our community," they said.

Ultimately, they argued the positives seen from measures such as mask mandates and targeted curfews create far less detriments to businesses and people compared to what the county would have to face if it sees more spikes in infections.

The group argued dismantling the board, as some people and other business owners voiced support for last week during a Knox County Commission meeting, and rolling back the measures it has taken would only end up hurting businesses and people in far greater ways. 

"If we dismantle the Board of Health or compromise the objective, science-based nature of it, we risk abandoning the gains we’ve made since March. We risk a spike in cases and potentially the safety of our frontline health care workers, the health of employees who are face-to-face with customers every day in Knox County and the citizenry, in general," the letter read.

The group argued another spike in cases would likely lead to more stringent measures and another round of mandated closures like in March, which they said absolutely needs to be avoided.

"This would mean dire employment consequences and a tax revenue shortfall, which would affect essential services county-wide," the letter read. "We are urging the County government to leave the Board of Health in place, in its current composition."

Echoing mounting concerns from the Knox County Health Department and White House Coronavirus Task Force leaders -- the group said the upcoming fall and winter seasons will bring new challenges that will need intent focus, saying the Board of Health needs to remain in place in its current composition to help lead those mitigation efforts.

With cold-weather habits putting people indoors and at close-contact with others more often, health leaders with the CDC and others have said since April there is a serious risk of seeing a new wave of COVID infections because of the greater risk of close-contact indoor spread. To seriously complicate matters, flu season's arrival is poised to challenge the health care system as it deals with two serious respiratory outbreaks happening at the same time, which was avoided in March during the first wave as flu season was already trending down and lockdown measures effectively halted further spread alongside COVID-19.

The FDA in July granted emergency use authorization for new multiplex PCR tests that will look for both COVID-19 and various strains of the influenza virus in order to help doctors determine appropriate care measures. Several companies are working to develop and distribute these multiplex test kits ahead of flu season.

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