An SUV crashed into a Springfield home at Woodland St and 18th Ave early Tuesday morning. No one was injured but the crash caused heavy damage to the home. Springfield Police say the impact literally tore off the front of the home exposing the bedroom. No word yet on the cause of the crash. This is the third serious accident at this same intersection since July of last year.
Health officials are urging people to think of the possible consequences of a family gathering over the holidays. Tennessee Health Commissioner Doctor Lisa Piercy says a holiday surge like seen after Thanksgiving will “completely break our hospitals.” Piercy said she can’t over emphasize the importance for people to celebrate the holidays with only those in their household. Piercy says hospitals are faced with capacity issues and staffing shortages.
Meanwhile. an additional shipment of 40-thousand Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in Tennessee today. The Tennessee Department of Health says it projects 50-thousand doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be given weekly, while 40-thousand doses of the Moderna vaccine will be administered each week. Over 24-hundred Tennesseans had been vaccinated as of yesterday morning.
It could take the state more than a year to get enough COVID-19 vaccines to reach herd immunity. State health officials say they expect to receive 360-thousand doses of vaccines each month. Earlier this week, Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey estimated that 70-to-80 percent of Tennesseans needed to be vaccinated to flatten the curve and return to pre-COVID conditions. Yesterday Dr. Piercey said a lot depends on whether or not Pfizer and Moderna can increase their production capacity.
Governor Bill Lee is extending Tennessee’s state of emergency. Governor Lee announced yesterday the order is being extended from December 29th through February 27th of 2021. Other executive orders issued extend electronic government meetings and remote notarization provisions.
