Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/nashville-...because-cases-were-so-low-emails-show-1532641
Nashville Officials Withheld COVID Numbers for Restaurants and Bars Over HIPPA Law Concerns, Mayor's Office Says
By Mili Godio On 9/17/20 at 12:25 PM EDT
Nashville officials were briefly reluctant to release the low number of COVID-19 cases deriving from bars and restaurants in the city, according to emails between the Metro Health Department and Mayor John Cooper's office.
The emails between the two offices were obtained by Fox 17 News and broadcast in a segment Wednesday night. Newsweek picked up the story on Thursday morning, but that afternoon the mayor's press secretary Chris Song released a statement saying that the tv station's report was aired with "limited information and without context."
The emails stated that on June 30, contract tracing conducted by the MHD found construction sites and nursing homes were the cause of most Nashville coronavirus cases. Both categories had over 1,000 cases tied to them. At that time, only 22 cases were traced back to bars and restaurants.
On June 30, contact tracing found that construction and nursing homes were the cause of most Nashville coronavirus cases as over 2,000 cases were traced back to those specific categories. Only 22 cases were traced back to bars and restaurants.
"This isn't going to be publicly released, right? Just info for Mayor's Office?" Leslie Waller from the health department wrote on June 30.
Senior Advisor Benjamin Eagles responded: "Correct, not for public consumption."
A month later, Tennessee Lookout reporter Nate Rau asked the health department about rumors circulating that only 80 cases resulted from the city's bars and restaurants.
Rau asked: "The figure you gave of 'more than 80' does lead to a natural question: If there have been over 20,000 positive cases of COVID-19 in Davidson and only 80 or so are traced to restaurants and bars, doesn't that mean restaurants and bars aren't a very big problem?"...
As a result, Health Department Official Brian Todd asked five other health officials via email for guidance. "Please advise how you recommend I respond," he wrote....
Nashville Officials Withheld COVID Numbers for Restaurants and Bars Over HIPPA Law Concerns, Mayor's Office Says
By Mili Godio On 9/17/20 at 12:25 PM EDT
Nashville officials were briefly reluctant to release the low number of COVID-19 cases deriving from bars and restaurants in the city, according to emails between the Metro Health Department and Mayor John Cooper's office.
The emails between the two offices were obtained by Fox 17 News and broadcast in a segment Wednesday night. Newsweek picked up the story on Thursday morning, but that afternoon the mayor's press secretary Chris Song released a statement saying that the tv station's report was aired with "limited information and without context."
The emails stated that on June 30, contract tracing conducted by the MHD found construction sites and nursing homes were the cause of most Nashville coronavirus cases. Both categories had over 1,000 cases tied to them. At that time, only 22 cases were traced back to bars and restaurants.
On June 30, contact tracing found that construction and nursing homes were the cause of most Nashville coronavirus cases as over 2,000 cases were traced back to those specific categories. Only 22 cases were traced back to bars and restaurants.
"This isn't going to be publicly released, right? Just info for Mayor's Office?" Leslie Waller from the health department wrote on June 30.
Senior Advisor Benjamin Eagles responded: "Correct, not for public consumption."
A month later, Tennessee Lookout reporter Nate Rau asked the health department about rumors circulating that only 80 cases resulted from the city's bars and restaurants.
Rau asked: "The figure you gave of 'more than 80' does lead to a natural question: If there have been over 20,000 positive cases of COVID-19 in Davidson and only 80 or so are traced to restaurants and bars, doesn't that mean restaurants and bars aren't a very big problem?"...
As a result, Health Department Official Brian Todd asked five other health officials via email for guidance. "Please advise how you recommend I respond," he wrote....