Speakers: Dr. Michael Caldwell, M.D., Director and Chief Medical Officer of the Metro Public Health Department, and Dr. Joseph Webb, Chief Executive Officer of Nashville General Hospital at Meharry.
Dr. Caldwell opened with an overview of data for Davidson County, noting that as of August 7th, Nashville had seen 22,000 Covid cases with 200 deaths. He noted that most deaths have been people over age 65 and disproportionately African American. However, since the mask mandate was imposed on June 29th, the number of active cases has started to decline. The Metro Health Department has created a website at https://www.asafenashville.org/ that provides up-to-date information about the virus and its impact on Music City. Dr. Caldwell, who has been spotted on Lower Broadway handing out masks to the tourists and encouraging compliance with the mask mandate, emphasized that
everyone should always behave as if they have the virus and act accordingly by avoiding close contact with people, especially indoors and where alcohol is involved, wearing masks, and washing hands frequently.
Dr. Webb, who oversees operations at Nashville General Hospital, discussed various social determinants of health, including economic and social conditions, education, access to adequate food and housing, and transportation. People of color are less likely to have adequate access to all of these basic needs, making them more vulnerable to disease generally, including infection with Covid-19 virus.
Many Nashvillians are not “health literate” and consequently have higher rates of underlying conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Babies born in minority communities also tend to be at higher risk. Because Nashville General’s purpose is to treat people without means for other health services, his facility has been particularly hard hit by the virus. Of the patients that Nashville General treats, 40-45% are without health insurance.
Both speakers described various vaccine trials underway in Nashville, including one at Meharry specifically targeting minorities. Volunteers for vaccine testing are encouraged, as an effective vaccine will only be established through research. As for antibody tests, Dr. Caldwell indicated they are still evolving.