NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) – Tennessee doctors have tried to hold press conferences, sign petitions, even produce personal video motifs, to draw the governor’s attention to the issue of children and COVID.
On Thursday, frustrated that they had not been heard, a group of doctors in the area decided to confront Governor Bill Lee directly as he left his own press conference.
“Governor Lee, we want to have a meeting with you,” one shouted as Lee continued walking down the halls of the state Capitol.
She continued, “We want to know, as a Christian man, how it feels when children get sick and die of COVID when that could be avoided with universal masking.”
Doctors also filed a petition at the governor’s office signed by doctors at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Jude, along with 6,300 of his colleagues across the state, who calls for universal masking and other measures to better protect children.
Among them was pediatrician Dr. Mary Kline Barnes.
“I can’t tell you how many of my own friends’ children have COVID right now and how many families I’ve talked to over the last two weeks the kids got COVID at school, ”he told reporters abroad from the governor’s office.
Within the press conference, Lee stated in a single breath that “districts have the ability to impose a mask requirement on any school district in the state.”
He then defended his own order that allows parents to ignore these requirements if they don’t like them.
NewsChannel 5 investigates he asked Lee, “Why shouldn’t Tennessees see this as a political double talk in which you try to have it both ways?”
“Yes, I think what we are trying to do is provide the maximum possible protection and ensure that parents have the last word on their children’s health,” he replied.
As for the advice he receives from Tennessee doctors, the governor said he “listens.”
“I value your input. We use it in decision making and we will move forward,” Lee said.
NewsChannel 5 noted, “But don’t follow his advice on universal masking.”
Lee’s response: “We agree not to agree on all issues.”
Gov. Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn sparked a backlash this week with an upbeat video on social media inviting parents to share their stories back to school.
“Is this some kind of sick joke?” asked one person, noting that the video “was out of touch with the reality of what is happening in our schools.”
Another noted, “Two families I absolutely adore have been devastated by COVID; in both cases, their children took her home from school.” He added: “Your disregard for human life is despicable.”
Another suggested, “You have to hire a forty-year-old to run your social media. You know, so it doesn’t sound so deaf.”
During Lee’s press conference, Schwinn defended the video.
“We need to find a way to balance ourselves and say it’s okay to keep the joy of a new school year for the million kids who go to school every day and keep up with us the challenges of a pandemic.” , said the commissioner. reporters.
But doctors say the first step is to protect these children.
“This is just reckless,” Dr. Barnes added.
“It’s a reckless danger, it’s unethical and it can be avoided. It shouldn’t happen.”