On Wednesday, the state reported 11,410 new cases, a new record since the beginning of the pandemic.
The decisions people have made in connection with Thanksgiving have a severe reality on the statewide hospital system, Lee said.
“One thing this vaccine will not solve or cure is selfishness or indifference to what is happening to our neighbors around us,” he said.
Lee also added that the vaccine is not a remedy for stupid decisions about how we gather or someone’s refusal to wear a mask and will not cure the idea that someone else’s decision will not affect another person’s life.
Tennessee expects 56,550 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to begin reaching state hospitals.
Earlier this week, the State Department of Health announced that it has the first shipment of 975 doses of Pfizer vaccine as an emergency reserve if a hospital supply is damaged.