NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne) -- Gov. Bill Lee is stressing the need to protect family, friends, neighbors and coworkers who may be especially vulnerable to serious coronavirus complications.
During his press conference Thursday announcing a statewide emergency declaration, the governor asked Tennesseans to take the threat seriously for the sake of others.
Vanderbilt infectious disease specialist Dr. Bill Shaffner tells WMOT that the evidence to-date suggests some people are more likely than others to suffer hospitalization and death after contracting the virus.
“Everybody who is older and who have underlying illnesses, know that this is the time to hold back a little bit and -- don’t become a hermit, nothing like that -- but try to avoid crowds.”
Some of the underlying illnesses Dr. Shaffner mentioned include heart disease, any type of lung disease, diabetes, and anyone with a compromised immune system.
Look for the latest information at coronavirus.gov.
