Blake Farmer

Hospitals across the South are warning of a catastrophe if a surge of COVID-19 cases doesn't subside. Medical centers are maxed out. But space isn't the biggest problem — it's staffing.

As Community Health Systems has downsized, what remain are like zombie hospitals – little more than legal entities still taking patients to court even though the new owners don't sue.

Republican legislators in Tennessee pushed to limit marketing COVID-19 vaccines to youth, and to restrict access. Some doctors worry it will have a chilling effect on vaccinations.

Vermont and Massachusetts lead the nation, with more than 70% of adults having had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Southern states like Tennessee lag far behind.

The nation as a whole fell short of President Biden's July Fourth vaccine goal — giving at least one shot to 70 percent of adults. Some states exceeded expectations, and others didn't come close.

Southern Baptists are meeting in Nashville for their annual gathering. A contentious year, they're addressing the denomination's response to sexual abuse in the church and broader cultural issues.

Eight of the 10 states which have the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates are in the South. Doctors and epidemiologists are trying to come up with ways to encourage more residents to get vaccinated.

Congregations are figuring out how to safely meet in person now that the COVID-19 vaccine is more widely available. But vaccination remains divisive even as it allows them to come together again.

Some immigrant groups are closing the ethnic gap on COVID-19 shots. For many Kurdish Americans, their fears about vaccination are entangled with their experiences in refugee camps after fleeing Iraq.

People who work in the music industry need more than economic bailouts. An aid group based in Nashville is now providing money for mental health assistance to people who haven't had work for a year.

A majority of white, rural conservatives in Tennessee are open to getting the vaccine at some point, but at least 45% won't consider it. Rates in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi are also lagging.

WPLN News reports on surmounting mental health concerns in Nashville's live music community.

An NPR/Marist poll found that rural, white Republicans — especially supporters of former President Trump — are among the least likely to get a vaccine. In rural Tennessee, we hear from some of them.

Hospitalizations are down 62% for childhood respiratory illnesses, a study shows. Masking and physical distancing are keeping a variety of viruses in check, but will these behaviors last?

As the pace of vaccination picks up, so do reports of spoiled doses. In Tennessee, close to 5,000 doses have been lost, prompting more oversight from state and federal officials.

Black Americans are getting vaccinated at lower rates than whites. A new push to send vaccines to community health centers is intended to help quickly bridge that gap.

In many states, white residents are getting vaccinated at higher rates than Black residents. These inequities have spurred new strategies, such as sending doses to community-based clinics.

Technically, the only Tennesseans currently eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine are health care workers, long-term care residents, and people 75 and older. But don't expect strict enforcement.

Tennessee has opened COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to anyone over age 75. But people under 75 are getting it, as health officials are not checking identification before administering the shots.

As the nation falls far short of a goal to get 20 million vaccinated by the new year, we look at where bottlenecks are occurring in various parts of the country.