HighPoint Health System affirms and echoes the recent statement from our fellow healthcare providers in Nashville on the concerning trend of COVID-19 in our local communities.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise rapidly across the country, and the same is true here at home in Middle Tennessee. In fact, COVID-19-related hospitalizations have reached an all-time high across our state since this public health crisis began.

Importantly, this crisis is not isolated to urban areas and larger cities – COVID-19 is a very real problem in the smaller communities we serve as well. Small towns and rural areas across the country and across Tennessee have seen a rapid acceleration of COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks, and our hospitals have felt the impact. Unfortunately, the continued surge and prevalence of COVID-19 has the potential to overwhelm the local healthcare delivery system, which is why we all must do our part to protect ourselves, our healthcare workers and our communities.

With up to 40 percent of those infected showing few to no symptoms, the virus can spread quickly. Combined with cooler temperatures and our annual flu season, we are facing what could be a particularly challenging fall. We strongly urge our community members to be even more diligent in their efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the months ahead.

More than seven months into the pandemic, we simply cannot let our guard down – and you can rest assured that our team won’t. But it is going to take all of us being extra cautious and taking every possible preventive measure to change the course of the pandemic and avoid a greater healthcare and economic crisis.

We call upon every community member in Middle Tennessee to lead by example — wear a mask over your nose and mouth, wash your hands frequently, practice social distancing and avoid group gatherings.

Together, we can make a difference and make our communities healthier.