MEMPHIS, Tenn — Tuesday, the Shelby County Health Department said it's focusing on business compliance with the new health directive to maintain COVID-19 containment progress.
"Our overall trends are in a positive direction," Shelby County Health Director Dr. Alisa Haushalter said.
The SCHD wants to keep it that way.
Tuesday's 71 new reported COVID-19 cases in Shelby County marked the lowest amount in nearly three weeks.
"The important thing is that we don't want to become complacent, we are in a very good place currently," Dr. Haushalter said.
Dr. Haushalter cautioned there's still some trouble spots.
This past week, the Shelby County Health Department responded to nine complaints of business violations - including two with previous complaints - for lack of mask wearing, limited social distancing or extended hours of operation.
Repeat violators could face temporary shutdowns or revoked liquor licenses by the ABC board.
"It's really important that the public report to us when there are facilities that are non compliant so we can focus very specifically on those facilities," Dr. Haushalter said.
Tuesday, Shelby County Health Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph also floated the possibility of allowing more fans at the Liberty Bowl, for the Memphis Tigers next scheduled football home game October 17th.
"As numbers improve we anticipate even making some changes in our policy as it relates to attendance," Dr. Randolph said.
The White House announced Monday that 150 million rapid COVID-19 tests would soon be provided to help schools allow in-person learning.
Local health experts said Tuesday they aren't sure yet how many kits Shelby County would receive.
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Dr. Andy Pierce reiterated the positive progress with COVID-19 in that hospital system Tuesday morning, especially with the worst-case fears of a Labor Day related uptick in new hospitalizations.
"To walk into seven patients after months and months of walking into 40 plus patients is wonderful and also really difficult to explain," Dr. Pierce said. "I never would have thought in a million years we'd be at the current patient census we are on September 29th, roughly two and a half weeks after what we were afraid would be a significant bump in patients, that being Labor Day."
