Wednesday marked the lowest number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Shelby County in over a month. The 26 new cases were about 40 fewer than the average daily increase of 65-70 over the past four weeks, though the number of overall tests reported on Wednesday were also below average.
Still, Health Department Director Dr. Alisa Haushalter says it's an indicator that some strategies are working and that the county continues to postpose a predicted surge in local coronavirus cases.
“The more that we actually have mitigation measures in place, and specifically social distancing, but also good isolation and quarantine measures, we continue to push that surge further out,” she said at the daily briefing.
Early modeling put the surge in late May, but now that peak may arrive in July.
Health officials have advised not to focus on any single day of data, but rather to follow trends over time. They’ve linked some recent daily spikes in cases to targeted testing at facilities such as the county jail.
Wednesday’s drop comes two days after restaurants and retailers across the county opened in limited capacities. It’s also the same day that barbers and hair salons could also start booking clientele again.
Memphis Chief Operating Officer Doug McGowen says code enforcement has so far received few complaints about violations of new guidelines, even after Tuesday’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
“There are always going to be outliers. There’s always going to be a learning process,” he said. “There are some outdoor venues where I think they’re still just working through the details of how they keep people separated—how you deal with a demand of people who have pent-up demand.”
As more businesses open back up, labor advocacy organizations worry that some employees may be pressured to return to unsafe working conditions.
Haushalter says workers should elevate their concerns if employers do not adhere to new regulations.
“There's always the ability to report to TOSHA [Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration], that’s the agency that protects workers,” she said.
Haushalter says she’s encouraged by the many employers who are seeking safety guidance from the Health Department.
“That demonstrates to me that the majority of employers want to do what’s right for their employees and for their clientele,” she said. “They just may need some technical assistance or support in being able to achieve social distancing within the work environments that they’re facing.”
This post has been updated to reflect the number of overall tests reported on Wednesday.