MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It is becoming increasingly clear that we in Memphis and Shelby County are on our own in fighting the relentless COVID-19 pandemic. Because of where we’re located deep in the southwest corner of Tennessee – bordered by Mississippi and Arkansas – we are in a tough spot trying to keep ourselves safe. Memphis hospitals are bursting at the seams with COVID patients and others needing medical attention. And you can bet a lot of those patients are from out of state – as has always been the case.
So since we cannot count on the governors in Tennessee or Mississippi to be reasonable, Shelby County must go it alone by again imposing a mask mandate for all indoor activities. Republican Governors Bill Lee and Tate Reeves are clearly being guided by partisan politics in refusing to even consider mask mandates in schools. This as more school children in both states are contracting the highly contagious delta variant every day. Both men are being guided, not by medical science, but by some ridiculous ideology that says individual freedom is much more important than protecting others from possible death.
The facts are obvious. We have no choice. We’re tired of the suffering and the funerals. We’re tired of the hesitancy about getting vaccinated. And above all, we’re tired of tone-deaf politicians standing in the way of public health. So mask up, Memphis. Because we’re on our own.