NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s Unified Command Group released a new report on the state’s efforts to protect long-term care facility residents from the spread of COVID-19. The full report can be found here.

With long-term care residents comprising nearly 40 percent of all COVID-19-related deaths in Tennessee, Gov. Lee and the Unified Command have implemented a robust response to require all long-term care residents and staff to receive COVID-19 testing. Under new rules from the Department of Health, each nursing home must complete an “intent to test” survey as provided for by the Department prior to June 1, 2020, and all nursing home residents and staff must be tested by June 30, 2020.

Gov. Lee established the UCG on March 23, 2020, to streamline the COVIG-19 emergency response coordination between the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, the Tennessee Department of Health, and the Tennessee Department of Military.