COVID-19 heavily affects rural areas

The White House’s Global AIDS Coordinator is highly concerned about a re-emergence of COVID cases, specifically in the midwest.

“To everyone living in a rural area, you are not immune or protected from this virus,” said Deborah Birx, the Global AIDS Coordinator

There are many rural areas in west Tennessee, and a recent report from the Jackson Madison county regional health department shows there are over 700 COVID-19 cases adison county.

As I spoke with Sabrina Blue, a dentist and the founder of helping hands, she says the increase of numbers is a result of the health disparities.

“I think COVID-19 sheds light on the health disparities and the health issues that we have throughout rural and west Jackson,” says Blue.

She also mentions how several locals are not taking the virus seriously.

“One of patience today, was thinking of a family member of hers, and they ended up getting COVID-19, and that family member warned and her response was if I get it and now this lady is struggling with her health,” says Blue.

In a recent interview on CNN, Dr. Birx emphasizes that we are no longer in March and April as a nation.

“We are in a new phase; it is extraordinarily widespread, it is into the rural as equal as urban areas,” she says.

One resident is confident that infections will continue to rise as he does not see it going away anytime soon.

“I don’t really see an end in sight. If you look at other countries, it happened they dealt with it, now they are moving on. And it seems like we are the only place that is still stuck here.” says Chris Newhouse, a new resident of Jackson

Zipcode 38305 holds the majority of COVID-19 cases in Madison County. Dr. Birx is encouraging people to wear a mask and to social distance inside of their houses.