KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — With new cases, hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 hitting record highs in the last few days among Knox County residents, the Health Department put out a familiar and earnest plea Tuesday ahead of the upcoming holidays: Follow the five core actions.
Charity Menefee, director of communicable and environmental disease and emergency preparedness of the Knox County Health Department, said trends have shown spikes in new COVID-19 cases about two weeks after a holiday. However, with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s coming in short sequence, there may not be enough time between them to see the normal drop in cases.

“I know you’re tired of hearing it and I’m tired of saying it, but I’m coming to you today pleading to please take these actions seriously,” Menefee said. “These trends are worrisome and tragic.
“There’s not going to be time for the cases to come back down by the time we have our next holiday. … If nothing about our behavior changes, these numbers will continue to rise at a high rate.”
Menefee said her worry is at “about an eight or nine” out of 10 when asked to rate the Knox County situation.
“We’re all connected in some way, shape or form.”
Charity Menefee, director of communicable and environmental disease & emergency preparedness
Knox County Health Department
“We’re at the point where it’s time to consider whether hosting a small gathering at your home for the holidays is the appropriate decision to make for yourself and your family to keep them safe while also considering the implications that hosting this gathering could have on those you come in contact here in the future,” she said.
“If you cannot physically distance everybody in that gathering, then you really need to think about if you’re going to do it.”
KCHD using state to help with contact tracing
The Knox County Health Department is now using the state to help with some contact tracing of positive COVID-19 cases. As more cases occur, more contact tracing is being done each day.
Menefee said, as an example, that if 400 people are positive with the coronavirus, they would likely have three or four close contacts just in their homes. That would not include co-workers, friends and acquaintances in social settings.
She also noted that the state reported nearly 8,000 new cases on Monday, which means approximately 30,000 close contacts would need to be contacted.
“If you know you’re positive or have been exposed to a confirmed case, don’t wait ’til you get a call from us or somebody from the Tennessee Department of Health, start your quarantine now.” Menefee said.
Testing next week
Testing at the Knox County Health Department will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday of next week. The Health Department will not be testing Thursday and Friday. Testing sites can be found on the Knox County Health Department website.
CORONAVIRUS NEWS:
- Coronavirus Timeline: Total COVID-19 cases near 175K, deaths now stand at 2,097 in the state
- CHART: Tennessee Department of Health’s count of coronavirus cases by day in state
- Greene County mayor extends mask mandate through September 30
- Video and pictures of packed house party near KU campus spark concern as virus cases rise
- Tennessee Coronavirus: Two weeks into September, state has seen a 12.48% increase in COVID-19 cases and a 19.56% increase in deaths
- Coronavirus in Tennessee: Knox County reports smallest 1-day increase in new cases so far in September
- Oxford and AstraZeneca resume coronavirus vaccine trial
- Tennessee Coronavirus: Total COVID-19 cases reach 171,824 with 933 new cases reported Sunday
- Coronavirus in Tennessee: Inactive cases rise by 204 as Knox County reports 121 new cases & no new deaths
- As Trump played down virus, health experts’ alarm grew
- Dakotas lead US in virus growth as both reject mask rules
- Tennessee Coronavirus: COVID-19 deaths hit 2,064 with 39 new ones reported Saturday
- Coronavirus in Tennessee: Inactive cases rise by 229 as Knox County reports 189 new cases & 3 new deaths
- As restaurants, bars re-open amid coronavirus, CDC study urges caution
- Ohio college students test positive for coronavirus, throw party