Nashville, TN – Today, Monday, April 6th, 2020, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee provided an update on Tennessee’s efforts regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19) relief.
Governor Lee’s daily press conferences can be viewed live this week Monday through Thursday at 3:00pm CT here. Governor Lee has also established a website specific to Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates which can be found here.
Administration Actions
Small and Rural Hospital Grants
Governor Lee has allocated $10 million in Small and Rural Hospital Readiness Grants to support hospitals that are facing financial strain due to the ongoing response to Coronavirus (COVID-19).
For participating hospitals, the grants will serve as a bridge over the coming weeks while elective procedures are suspended and new federal funds are still processing. Applications are live today and can be accessed here along with additional information.
Local Government Grants
Governor Lee has allocated $200 million in grants to be distributed to every county and city government across Tennessee for one-time, local expenses in fiscal year 2021.
Funding is based on population as published by the U.S. Census Bureau. Each county will receive at least $500,000, and each city or municipality will receive at least $30,000.
The application will be made available by April 30th, 2020, and the funds will be made available after July 1st, 2020. Additional information is available here.
Care for the Uninsured
Governor Lee is committed to ensuring all Tennesseans receive the treatment they need for Coronavirus (COVID-19). Congress passed and President Trump signed the CARES Act, which provides millions of dollars for treatment of the uninsured. Federal guidance is forthcoming on how funds from the CARES Act will be directed to providers to serve the those without insurance.
The Tennessee Division of TennCare also submitted a waiver to the federal government seeking matching dollars to address the uninsured population.
Current Department of Health Testing Results (as of 2 p.m. 4/6)
| Laboratory Type | Positive Test | Negative Tests | Total |
| State PH Lab | 332 | 2,295 | 2,627 |
| Non-State PH Lab | 3,470 | 41,253 | 44,723 |
| Total | 3,802 | 43,548 | 47,350 |
For more information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Tennessee, please visit the Tennessee Department of Health’s website here.
