COVID-19 testing is offered free of charge by the Knox County Health Department Monday-Friday, 8-3, at the Knox County Engineering and Public Works Building. Deborah Crouse of the COVID-19 Joint Information Center said, “We expect the volume to be high, so we urge people to be patient.
“While KCHD is pleased to be able to offer testing to anyone concerned about their health, we still encourage people go to their primary care provider first, as a full health assessment is ideal. Because staffing, PPE and testing kits are not unlimited, we will have to pace out our resources.
“We encourage people to be patient as we work to test as many people as we can. We will continue to work to secure more supplies as it’s our desire to continue this level of testing.”
Info: Health Department hotline at 865-215-5555.
T-shirts fund food
Major retailers have teamed with regional foundations to raise money for hunger-relief organizations or initiatives under the hashtag #COVIDfeedTN.
The East Tennessee Foundation has taken the lead locally. Tennesseans can purchase a T-shirt with the slogan, “The Comeback is Always Stronger than the Setback.” Proceeds will directly fund grants to nonprofits located in the ZIP code of the purchase.
Michael McClamroch, ETF president and CEO, said money from T-shirt sales will be collected and grants distributed by ETF in full coordination with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (based in Nashville) and the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.
“The coronavirus crisis poses urgent food-security threats to many Tennessee families – whether from health-related or economic impacts. According to state records, some 130,000 Tennesseans filed for unemployment during the latter part of March, alongside more than 4,600 documented COVID-19 cases in Tennessee as of April 9, 2020,” according to the press release.
Tennessee nonprofits with hunger relief and food distribution-related missions (such as community food pantries, school- or faith-based meal programs, food-delivery services to homes) can apply for grants via their area’s community foundation website. To apply in East Tennessee, click here; in Chattanooga, here; in Middle Tennessee, here; in West Tennessee, here.
McClamroch said, “We’ve had such success with this fundraising model for such efforts as the Pat Summitt Foundation and Smoky Strong, and we would like to see it applied in this crisis situation as well, to benefit Tennesseans in need statewide.”
Online orders can be placed online or purchased at participating locations of Kroger, Food City and Pilot retailers across Tennessee.
Getting IRS stimulus
Farragut Mayor Ron Williams reports: The IRS has launched web-based sites to help Americans with their Economic Impact Payments.
For those who filed a tax return in 2018 or 2019, they can check the status of their Economic Impact Payment HERE.
For those who are not required to file a 2018 or 2019 tax return, they can enter payment information HERE.
For those Social Security recipients who do not file tax returns, they will NOT need to take any action in order to receive their check, as described HERE.
Also, the Department released short videos on the Payment for Non-Filers and Social Security Recipients.
More
Knox County updates a COVID-19 case count website daily at 11 a.m. Media briefings are three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at 12:30 p.m. and live-streamed on Facebook.
Gov. Bill Lee extended his stay-at-home order through April 30.
Knox County libraries are closed, but online service continue. Check here for details.
Medicare patients can get current information at Medicare and Coronavirus
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn has released a comprehensive COVID-19 guide. Click here.
All areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, excluding the Foothills Parkway and the Spur, are closed until further notice. This includes trail and road closures. Details are here.
Health Department Hotline: 865-215-5555
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Info updated as it becomes available.