Tennesseans are proud and strong. But over the last 18+ months we have been humbled by the COVID-19 virus. Over 870,000 Tennesseans have battled COVID-19. As a result, more than 12,000 friends and family members will never again join us at summer barbecues. We have endured illness, grief, isolation, loss of employment, and more. We stayed home, we masked, and we distanced. In December of 2020, we finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel — a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Tennesseans showed our strength in leadership with one of the fastest COVID-19 vaccine roll-outs in the country. Yet we now have one of the lowest vaccination rates in the US. Cases of COVID-19 are once again on the rise as new variants spread more quickly and fewer people are choosing to be vaccinated. We must provide Tennesseans with access to the vaccine and fact-based information so they can make the best choice for themselves and their families. 

We are a state that values personal choice, individual rights, free speech, and pushing back against government overreach. We cannot uphold these values and save lives if we do not ensure our choices are informed by science and facts. The truth is children are at risk of serious complications from COVID-19, and even death. Hospitalization rates among adolescents and younger children have been on the rise since March. We must protect our children and our communities from COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles and whooping cough. Without appropriate vaccine communication and education, even diseases that are currently controlled in the US through vaccination will endanger the health of our whole state. 

We, the undersigned, call on

• Governor Bill Lee and Commissioner Lisa Piercey to allow the Tennessee Department of Health to publish and share unbiased, science-based information about vaccinations, including the COVID-19 vaccine. 
• Our Tennessee General Assembly to:
  • Allow our public health experts to lead with decisions based upon science and evidence-based truth.
  • Support efforts to stop the spread of rumors and misinformation about COVID-19 vaccination.
• Our Tennessee Department of Health to:
  • Prioritize the health of our children, as they historically have done, by encouraging vaccinations against all vaccine-preventable diseases as recommended by their doctors.
  • Proactively share science-based medical information about vaccines to empower Tennesseans to make informed personal choices for their health and the health of their children.
  • Continue to ensure all Tennesseans have access to COVID-19 vaccines, as well as routine immunizations, as they are eligible to receive them.

We are the people of Tennessee. We are proud. We are strong. Through the power of truth, informed choice, and science-based public health, we can knock out COVID-19 and save lives.