Nashville Officials Withheld COVID Numbers for Restaurants and Bars Because Cases Were So Low, Email

[Initech]

Nashville officials reportedly concealed the low number of COVID-19 cases deriving from bars and restaurants in the city, according to emails between the Metro Health Department and Mayor John Cooper's office.

On June 30, contact tracing found that construction and nursing homes were the cause of most Nashville coronavirus cases with thousands traced back to those specific categories. Only 22 cases were traced back to bars and restaurants.

In the series of emails obtained by FOX 17 News, a discussion between the two offices about how to conceal the number associated with restaurants and bars from the public was shown.

"This isn't going to be publicly released, right? Just info for Mayor's Office?" wrote Leslie Waller from the health department.

Senior Advisor Benjamin Eagles responded: "Correct, not for public consumption."

A month later, Tennessee Lookout reporter Nate Rau asked the health department about rumors circulating that only 80 cases resulted from the city's bars and restaurants.

Rau asked: "The figure you gave of 'more than 80' does lead to a natural question: If there have been over 20,000 positive cases of COVID-19 in Davidson and only 80 or so are traced to restaurants and bars, doesn't that mean restaurants and bars aren't a very big problem?"
https://www.newsweek.com/nashville-officials-withheld-covid-numbers-restaurants-bars-because-cases-were-so-low-emails-show-1532641?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1600360716

I'm not sure what to make of this story but if it's true, could be very bad.

[rzemanfl]

1. Fox and "rumors" hot button issue, not sure I would put much stock in this.

Just my two cents.

[Initech]

2. True, I do consider the source on this.

Though Fox affiliates aren't the same as Fox News.

[unc70]

5. Sinclair station

[Initech]

7. Oh yeah, fuck Sinclair.

[rzemanfl]

8. I would like to know how much of the contact tracing led to a source.

Nursing homes and construction seem easy compared to bars and restaurants.

[Stallion]

3. I'd Like to Know the Restrictions on Bars and Restaurants at the Time Too

[unc70]

4. Fox 17 is Sinclair owned station

WZTV

I would need further confirmation.

[spanone]

6. We have a Democratic Mayor who has pissed off all the bars downtown, restaurants too.

because he cares about Nashvillians