UPDATE: The Hamilton County Health Department announced a COVID-19 exposure at a Lincoln Day Dinner event that took place on July 31 at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
The health department said case investigations revealed that a person attended the event while in their infectious period.
The department recommends that anyone who attended this event to get tested and monitor their symptoms.
“We know that COVID-19 is highly contagious and can spread easily at large gatherings,” Health Department Administrator Becky Barnes said, “We recommend staying home if you are sick, practicing social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing your hands frequently to stop the spread of the virus in our community.”
Bill Hagerty, a candidate for one of Tennessee's U.S. Senate seats, was tested for COVID-19 after attending the event. His test came back negative, according to a post he made on Twitter on Wednesday.
Dr. Manny Sethi also tested negative for COVID-19 after being tested following the event, according to a post on his campaign's Twitter account on Wednesday.
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PREVIOUS STORY: Just days before the Tennessee primary election on Thursday, August 6, state and local leaders were called out on social media.
Voters were concerned about photos taken at the Hamilton County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner that was held on Friday which showed almost no one wearing a mask.
Both Bill Hagerty, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, and trauma surgeon Dr. Manny Sethi, candidates for one of Tennessee's U.S. Senate seats, were among hundreds who attended the dinner at the trade center on Friday night.
Both posted pictures at the event on social media.
Many of them show people gathered closely and not wearing masks, sparking feedback from a worried public during the COVID-19 health crisis.
Sethi’s campaign stated “there are much bigger things to focus on than masks. After all, there is an election on Thursday and voters care way more about who will represent our state’s values than they do about tattling on a doctor not wearing a mask.”
Here is the full statement:
- "This event was hosted by Hamilton County GOP, it was not a Dr. Manny event. Dr. Manny and his wife were just guests, and both of them had masks. Bill Hagerty didn't wear a mask either.
Instead of masks, we should be focusing on Bill Hagerty dropping an ad trying to disavow Sen. Mitt Romney on the same weekend we learn that the Romney network is sending large amounts of money to a pro-Hagerty PAC attacking Dr. Manny.
There are much bigger things to focus on than masks. After all, there is an election on Thursday. Voters care way more about who will represent our state’s values than they do about tattling on a doctor not wearing a mask.”
Hagerty’s campaign said they are “tired of mandates and being told what to do by the government and that bill quote trusts the good people of Tennessee to make the right decision for themselves.”
Here is the full statement
- "As Election Day quickly approaches, we are focused on sharing Bill's positive conservative message with Tennessee voters. They're tired of mandates and being told what to do by the government. Bill trusts the good people of Tennessee to make the right decisions for themselves. Right now our country is at a crossroads and it's more important than ever to send a true Trump conservative to Washington. That's why President Trump and Senator Marsha Blackburn have endorsed Bill Hagerty. He's the only conservative running in this race."
- Abigail Sigler, campaign spokesman
Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond was also on the guest list and seen without a face covering.
“People had their mask on when they came into the trade center. You got your temperature checked then you signed a waiver saying you understood the risk you were taking by being in a group for dinner,” Hammond said.
Hammond believed with a high recovery rate and only certain people being at risk, it comes down to reason and personal responsibility as to whether people should wear a mask.
“I made a choice not to wear a mask while I was moving around in the crowd a little bit. That was Jim Hammond’s choice. Reasonability says that first of all, check your own health making sure that you’re feeling well, that you have no symptoms, that would fall in line, secondly, if you’re asked in a facility, in a business to wear a mask, you should cooperate,” he said.
Hammond said the Sheriff's Office has not issued any citations since the mask mandate went into effect in Hamilton County in July.