With Covid-19 Cases On The Rise In Our Region, Two Lead Public Health Doctors Are Concerned Preventable Illness And Hospitalizations Will Be Worse Here Due To Low Vaccination Rates. Dr. Stephen May With Sullivan County Regional Health Department Said Cases Have Increased 70-Percent Locally In The Past Week Over The Prior Week. Ballad Health Chief Physician Executive Dr. Clay Runnels Said 97-Percent Of Hospitalized Patients With The Virus In The Past Month Have Been Unvaccinated. May And Runnels Both Warn Those As Cases Increase, Hospitalizations And Deaths Will Be Limited To Those Who Are Unvaccinated.