The state of Tennessee is set to replenish Knox County's low supply of COVID-19 testing material by Thursday, state officials said Tuesday.
Dr. Martha Buchanan, Knox County Health Department director, said Tuesday that because of large public interest in getting a test for the highly contagious virus the county's supplies were running out.
The county held drive-thru testing Monday and Tuesday, able to do 400 test screenings each day. But on Tuesday it called off drive-thru screenings for Wednesday and said it would only offer tests by appointment Thursday and Friday.
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Gov. Bill Lee and state Health Department Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey said they were ready to help Knox County get more tests as needed.
"We've been in contact with Dr. Buchanan," Piercey said. "She's requested more supplies. She'll have them Thursday."
Piercey said it's sometimes hard to predict public demand but the state wanted to ensure agencies have adequate testing materials to keep gathering evidence on who has been exposed to COVID-19.
"We’re willing and able to help any partner across the state," Piercey said.
Lee offered few specific details Tuesday at his press briefing about when businesses can start opening up. He said Monday and Tuesday that some could start opening soon as Monday, April 27.
Knox County is going to go along with state guidance as it plans a "phased and slow" start-up of businesses in the coming weeks, Buchanan said Tuesday.
Tennessee Democrats in the Legislature held a press conference Tuesday, objecting to Lee's plans not to extend his stay-at-home order. The state isn't ready, they said.
Lee said Tuesday residents must continue to follow social distancing requirements, regardless of relaxed business closures.
The public still needs to refrain from gatherings of 10 or more people, he said. Restrictions about visiting nursing homes will remain in place.
Lee said he's confident the state is moving to loosen stay-at-home restrictions at the right time. The rate of positive cases has continued to shrink over the last 18 days, Piercey said.
This week the state added the results of some 7,000 tests to the overall database. It included less than 200 positive results, Piercey said.
"We’ve achieved the results that we wanted to achieve in order to be in a place where we could begin a phased reopening that is strategic and safe," Lee said.
Lee said he also was aware many Tennesseans have continued to have a frustrating experience trying to apply online for unemployment. More people have been added to the staff to process the requests, he said.
Many people have reached out to WBIR to complain about their inability to submit claim online.
Lee said he thinks there's been "improvement" in the past couple days.