Wednesday update

I didn’t take detailed notes on the Shelby County COVID-19 task force press conference yesterday, but near the end, Health Department Director Dr. Haushalter was asked, Labor Day weekend is coming up and there are going to be football games and other events. What are some things we can do to stay safe and prevent spread? Her answer:

  • Make prudent decisions about the events you attend over the long weekend. If you have cardiac or respiratory disorders, diabetes, or if you are over 55, ask yourself, do you really need to go to these events, given your enhanced risk?
  • Wear a mask, and bring an extra as a backup in case your mask gets wet or soiled
  • Practice social distancing
  • Remember to refrain from activities like shaking hands and hugging
  • Constant hand washing; at events where that is not possible, bring hand sanitizer
  • Keep the volume of your voice at a reasonable level when out at sporting events; yelling and singing spread the virus further
  • Only remove your mask to eat or drink, and then put it right back on

Also at the press conference, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris announced a program called Senior Tech Connect that will facilitate virtual visitation at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Grants will fund digital devices such as iPads and headphones to make it easier for residents to connect with their loved ones. All facilities in the area have received an email inviting them to apply for a $5000 grant.

Dr. H noted that we are at the beginning of a critical time, as we were back in June when the daily new case numbers started to rise. Our actions the next couple of weeks will determine whether Shelby County sees another surge in new COVID-19 cases, or whether the number continues to plateau or drop. The elusive “R,” the reproductive rate of the virus, was driven all the way down to 0.82 a couple of weeks ago, but has now surged above 1 again. Getting that number below 1 is essential to controlling the spread of the virus.

I want to ask a favor of media members who read this blog. Could someone please attend one of these COVID-19 task force press conferences and ask

  • Can the current value for R be posted to the Shelby County COVID-19 data dashboard?
  • What’s the formula for R? How could a citizen of Shelby County independently compute R from data made publicly available from the health department?

I mentioned that one of my suggested organizations to connect with at the virtual Exposure Memphis event was A Tour of Possibilities. I had not heard of that one and made sure to check it out. This is an organization that gives African-American history tours of Memphis. “We embrace the often uncomfortable and tragic parts of our history but we also celebrate the resilient and inspiring future of Memphis,” says the website. Stops on their tours include

  • LeMoyne-Owen College
  • Ernest Withers Collection Museum & Gallery
  • Elmwood Cemetery
  • Beale Street
  • National Civil Rights Museum
  • The Pyramid
  • The riverfront
  • Robert Church Park
  • Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum
  • Soulsville USA
  • STAX Museum of American Soul Music
  • Clayborn Temple

All tours except the Memphis Caravan Tour are currently suspended because COVID RUINS EVERYTHING.

The New Wing Order food truck has announced its Flavor of the Month for September.

Memphis 901 FC hosts Charlotte Independence tonight at 7 at AutoZone Park. Buy your socially distanced tickets

In other 901 FC news, sporting director Tim Howard has joined NBC as an analyst for the Premier League.

New Downtown business, or at least one I didn’t know about until yesterday: Allen’s Kayaking Adventures. They offer kayaking and canoe trips on the Mississippi River and in the Wolf River Harbor 7 days a week. Beginners are welcome. Guides are trained in CPR and certified by the American Canoe Association. Tours range in length from an hour to multiple days.

Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Joris Ray announced yesterday when he would be comfortable letting students return to in-school learning: When the number of new coronavirus cases in Shelby County is in the single digits for 14 consecutive days. Number of new cases, not positivity rate. Well, that obliterates the goal of getting the kids back in person after fall break, and I’d put it at better than 50/50 that the entire 2020-2021 school year is virtual. New COVID-19 case numbers are unlikely to fall to single digits and stay there until about 10 weeks after a vaccine is widely available in the county.

Didn’t Mayor Harris say, in a press conference around July 9, that the county was closing the bars “to provide comfort to parents and educators” as we anticipate the start of in-school learning? Well, if that’s not going to happen now…. just sayin’.

The design board will hold a hearing about the proposed water fountain at One Beale this afternoon at 4.

There’s a hiring event for computer repair technicians going on today at 345 Madison.

Time to eat! I brought home a veggie plate from the Blind Bear last night to have food in the house for today. With veggies like tater tots, pepper jack mac & cheese, and fried okra, I have the complete range of nutrients covered. While waiting on my order, another patron asked where my troll was and told me my troll brings a lot of joy to the world.

That’ll do it for today. I plan on publishing my third Medium article today and will have a link for you in tomorrow’s post, along with all the Downtown Memphis news.