Covering COVID in East Tennessee

The story of COVID-19 and its manifold effects on East Tennessee is fast-moving. We want to make sure you can easily find our latest coverage, and look back on reporting you may have missed. As we continue to report, our COVID stories will be posted here.

Ongoing

LIST: Tennessee White House Coronavirus Task Force Reports, by Claire Heddles

Resources, Free Lunches Available During School Closures and Social Distancing, by Claire Heddles

Thursday, March 18

Knox County Plans to Vaccinate 1,500 People Daily at New Mass Vaccination Site, by Claire Heddles

Wednesday, February 25

Dialogue: Tennessee Seniors and the COVID-19 Pandemic, by Chrissy Keuper

Tuesday, February 24

Knox County is Receiving 6,682 Vaccine Doses This Week, the Largest Share is Going to UT, by Claire Heddles

Monday, February 15

Knox County Initiates Third-Party Probes for Lost Vaccines, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, February 10

Knox Co. Health Dept: 975 COVID Vaccine Doses Were Accidentally Thrown Out, by Claire Heddles and Brandon Hollingsworth

Tuesday, February 9

HealthConnections: Mental Health and the Pandemic, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Thursday, Feburary 4

Leaders in Knoxville's Black Communities Battle Vaccine Hesitance, by Heather Duncan

Tuesday, January 5

Hotline for COVID Vaccine Appointments in East Tennessee, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, December 1

HealthConnections: Milestones in the Search for a COVID Vaccine, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, November 23

Knox Health Board Looks to Restaurants to Help Blunt Year-End COVID Surge, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Knox County Weighs Eight-Person Gathering Limit, 25 Percent Capacity for Restaurants, by Claire Heddles

Wednesday, November 18

Courts Return to Stricter COVID Measures as Cases Rise, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, November 2

Knox County at the Top of White House COVID 'Red Zone' List for Tennessee, by Claire Heddles

Friday, October 16

WUOT News Exclusive: White House Report Says Tennessee ‘Must Implement a Statewide Mask Mandate’, by Claire Heddles

Thursday, October 1

Homeless Providers Brace for COVID Impacts This Winter, by Heather Duncan

Tuesday, September 22

HealthConnections: V for Vaccine, by Dr. Carole Myers and Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, September 16

Birx Stresses Flexibility In COVID Planning During Knoxville Visit, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, September 11

Knox Schools Struggle for Subs in Pandemic, by Heather Duncan

Friday, September 4

Tennessee Scrambles to Keep Up with Broadband Needs During Pandemic, by Heather Duncan

Wednesday, September 2

Knox County Drug Overdose Deaths Spike During COVID, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, August 18

Cooperate with Contact Tracing or Risk Expulsion, Plowman Warns UTK Students, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, August 11

HealthConnections: Children's Mental Health During the Pandemic, by Dr. Carole Myers and Dr. Allyson Neal

Sunday, July 27

Dire Language Barriers During COVID: "They Need to Count Everyone Who Lives in Knoxville Equally," by Claire Heddles

Monday, July 21

White House Recommends Closing Bars, Limiting Social Gatherings to 25 in Knox County, by Claire Heddles

Wednesday, July 15

WHO Says COVID-19 May Be Lingering in the Air; Knox County Health Department Awaits Further Evidence, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, July 14

HealthConnections: What Tennesseans Are Saying About COVID-19, by Dr. Carole Myers and Dr.  Katie Cahill

Wednesday, July 8

East TN Medical Community Closely Waching Increase in COVID Deaths and Hospitalizations, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, July 6

Buchanan: Masks a Safety Measure, Not a Political One, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Thursday, July 2

Sevier County Business Leaders Get COVID Briefing; Press Kept Out, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, July 1

Knox County to Require Masks Beginning Friday, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Sunday, June 28

Health Department Urges Compliance With Guidelines as Knox County COVID Cases Rise, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, June 24

Rebuilding Normality After a Fight with COVID-19, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, June 12

Roundup: Hospitals See Spike in Emergency Room Admissions; Nursing Homes to Reopen for Visitors, by Claire Heddles

Wednesday, June 3

Knox County Epidemiologist Says Spike in New COVID-19 Cases Was Expected, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, June 2

HealthConnections: The "Collateral Damage" of Coronavirus, by Dr. Carole Myers and Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, May 29

Roundup: PPE Coming to Nursing Homes; New Guidelines for Summer Sports, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, May 27

Knox County Sees Continued “Statistically Significant” Rise in COVID Cases, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, May 22

Roundup: Tourist Attractions Open Up; Free Child Care Extended to Include More Workers, by Claire Heddles

Roundup: 28,000 New Unemployment Claims in Tennessee; UT Weighs Three Scenarios for Fall Classes, by Claire Heddles

Martha Buchanan, In the Middle, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, May 20

Roundup: Council Approves New City Budget; Knox County to Start Phase II of Reopening Next Tuesday, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, May 19

Roundup: Graduations to be the Largest Gatherings in Weeks; TN Unemployment Benefits Extended, by Claire Heddles

HealthConnections: Coverage Options for the Unemployed, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, May 18

Roundup: Knox Re-Opening Plan to Get Second Look; Plasma Shows Promise, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, May 15

Roundup: UTMC Takes Part in COVID Treatment Project; Weekend Testing Focuses on Public Housing, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, May 13

Roundup: State of Emergency Extended; Vanderbilt Looks at the Numbers, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Tuesday, May 12

Roundup: Knox County Says Don't Forget About Testing; Alexander in Self-Quarantine, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, May 11

Roundup: Vote by Mail Applications Open Amidst COVID-19 Uncertainty; GSMNP Draws Crowds, by Claire Heddles 

Friday, May 8

Roundup: Hospitals Plan to Offer All Services in Late May; County Furloughs Begin, by Claire Heddles

Thursday, May 7

Roundup: Mask Troubles; Plans for Late July Graduation Ceremonies, by Claire Heddles

Wednesday, May 6

Dialogue: Disinformation Campaigns and How to Spot Them, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, May 5

HealthConnections: Health Disparities Reflected in the Pandemic, by Dr. Carole Myers and Brandon Hollingsworth

Roundup: Opening Weekend of Phased Re-Opening Brings Mixed Bag, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, May 1

Local Postal Workers Face Safety Risks Amidst a National Debate on the Future of USPS, by Claire Heddles

Roundup: More Cases at State Prison; Hospitals Estimate Financial Losses, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, April 29

Roundup: Athens Nursing Home Outbreak; Lee May Change Exec Order for Businesses, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Tuesday, April 28

Roundup: KCHD Emphasizes Active Cases; State Studies Antibody Tests, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, April 27

Phase One: Easing Into a New Economic and Social Reality, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, April 24

Roundup: Lee to Offer More Details on Re-Opening Plans; Jobless Claims Still Rising, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Thursday, April 23

Do Safer at Home Orders Violate the First Amendment? by Brandon Hollingsworth

Roundup: As State Works to Test More Tennesseans, Evidence COVID is Spreading in Prisons, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, April 22

Regional Mayors Say Re-Opening Plans Coming Soon, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Roundup: KCHD Changes Drive-Through Testing Plans, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Tuesday, April 21

Roundup: State Restrictions Lift Next Week; UT Plans for Autumn, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, April 20

Roundup: County Furloughs; COVID and the Courts, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, April 17

Bringing Business Back, With Caveats, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Thursday, April 16

Roundup: TN Expands COVID-19 Testing Guidelines; "When In Doubt, Get a Test," by Claire Heddles

Wednesday, April 15

Retracting the Welcome Mat: States Can Restrict Travel Over COVID Concerns, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Roundup: Drive-Through Testing in Oak Ridge; Federal Relief Money Coming to TYS, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Tuesday, April 14

Executive Order Follows Spike in Tennesseans Seeking Estate Planning, by Claire Heddles

Roundup: Soft Economic Re-Start in the Works; Decison This Week on School Closures, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, April 13

Roundup: What the Heat Map Tells Us; Officials Face Decisions on Extending Orders, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, April 10

Roundup: Rapid Testing Coming to Knoxville; Loosened Graduation Requirements for Class of 2020, by Claire Heddles

Thursday, April 9

Roundup: Expo Center Plans on Hold; Visualizing COVID Cases in Knox County, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, April 8

Roundup: 100,000 Unemployment Checks to be Mailed This Week, Four COVID-19 Deaths in Knox County, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, April 7

HealthConnections: The Language of Epidemiology, by Dr. Carole Myers and Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, April 6

Roundup: First COVID-19 Death in Blount County, TN Department of Labor Update on Federal Funds, by Claire Heddles

Friday, April 3

Roundup: Expo Center Details; State and Local Parks Limit Activity, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Thursday, April 2

Lee Strengthens Stay-Home Order; Jacobs Warns of Erosion of Civil Liberties, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Grassroots Aid Efforts in Knoxville Grow as Coronavirus Shutdowns Extend, by Claire Heddles

Roundup: TN Jobless Claims Continue Surge; Drive-Through Assessment Comes to Knox County, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, April 1

Dialogue: Two Sides of COVID-19, by Brandon Hollingsworth

AM Roundup: Knoxville Strengthens "Stay Home" Order; UT Stays Online Through Summer, by Brandon Hollingsworth

PM Roundup: Trying to Predict COVID Patterns; Great Smoky Mtns Extends Closure, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Tuesday, March 31

Roundup: Knox County's First COVID Death; Knoxville Asks for Spare PPE, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, March 30

How the Clarence Brown Theatre is Coping With an Unexpected Finale to Their Season, by Melony Dodson

Friday, March 27

State Numbers Reflect National Upswing in Jobless Claims, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Roundup: Executive Order Aims to Help Fight COVID; Schools Try Clasroom Alternatives, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Thursday, March 26

Spirit Guide: The Chady Homestead Pandemic Response, by Chrissy Keuper

Roundup: TN Jobless Claims Skyrocket; Testing the Uninsured, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, March 25

Some Details Emerge in Understanding Dimensions of COVID in Knox County, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Roundup: School Closures Extended; Holy Week Changes, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Tuesday, March 24

Roundup: Smokies NP Off-Limits; Knoxville City Council Goes Online; OR Delcares Emergency, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, March 23

Navigating the Obstacles for Getting a COVID-19 Test in East Tennessee, by Claire Heddles

Roundup: Chinese Americans Donate to Knox COVID Relief; Kincannon Asks for Federal Aid, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Knox County Health Department Issues "Safer at Home" Order, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, March 20

Local Governments Move to Close Bars and Limit Restaurant Business, More COVID Cases Confirmed, by Brandon Hollingsworth

MEDIC Desperate for Blood Donations, by Chrissy Keuper

Thursday, March 19

As Testing Capacity Grows, Medical Facilities Work to Close Supply Gaps, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Wednesday, March 18

COVID-19, Tornado Relief, Possible Recession Upend State Budget Priorities, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Immunologist Barry Rouse on Animal Coronaviruses and the Search for a COVID-19 Vaccine, by Claire Heddles

Tuesday, March 17

Lee Advances Proposals to Blunt Economic Effects of COVID-19, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Monday, March 16

Knoxville Declares State of Emergency to Deal With COVID-19, by Brandon Hollingsworth

State Courts Suspend In-Person Events to Help Slow COVID-19 Spread, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Friday, March 13

Capitol Closes to Visitors, Governor Recommends Churches and Schools Act With Caution, by Brandon Hollingsworth

Thursday, March 12

Government, Schools and Institutions Race to Deal with COVID-19, Educate Public, by Brandon Hollingsworth