NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – The Volunteer State is leading the nation in new daily COVID-19 infections. Doctors are warning if nothing drastic changes Tennessee hospitals will be pushed to the brink.

Governor Bill Lee recently met with doctors regarding the pandemic but is sticking with his current plan. “We agree that we don’t agree on every issue but that there are many things that we agree on and we’re going to try to work together,” said Lee.

This comes as pediatric COVID cases have hit a record in Tennessee. Doctors say uniformed masking, testing, vaccination, and distancing are just some keys to mitigating the disease.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, however, Lee has stood firmly against implementing any mask mandates.

“We do think that this strategy we’re taking is the one that is, the way forward, that best navigates the circumstances we’re in,” Lee said.

But children are taking the brunt of the rapid COVID-19 spread under the governor’s strategy, accounting for 40% of the state’s new cases as Lee allows parents to opt their children out of school mask mandates.

“It’s just ridiculous to go out on a limb and try and influence others not to wear masks when it has been proven that the masks are effective and my heart goes out to all those children who have been infected simply because the parents don’t want them to wear a mask,” said Fannie Carlisle, a Nashville resident.

Former Republican Senator, Dr. Bill Frist, is calling on Governor Lee and other state leaders to do more, tweeting in part “without action, hundreds, even thousands, will needlessly die whose lives could have been saved.”

TN now is #1 in U.S. for daily new #Covid cases per population. If we were an independent nation, we would be #2 for new Covid cases in the world. This week, TN reached highest level of hospitalizations from the virus yet. Our TN elected leadership must NOW step up & take action. pic.twitter.com/drt7Y7FXvB

— Bill Frist, M.D. (@bfrist) September 2, 2021

“We are bursting at the seams, our ICUs are completely full, our hospitals are more 50% filled with COVID patients. Limited resources are starting to impact our abilities to take care of folks,” said Dr. Jason Martin.

Martin, a Sumner County ICU doctor, who is running for governor of Tennessee as a Democrat, says Lee has a responsibility to do more to address covid-19 in schools.

“The virus sees a human host it doesn’t see an adult, doesn’t see a child and so if we want to mitigate the spread of the virus we need to act together, that means being socially distanced, that means wearing masks when we are in close proximity to one another that means getting the vaccination as soon as you’re eligible to get it,” Martin said.

Governor Lee has allowed for staffing flexibilities in hospitals by executive order. His administration has released millions of dollars to assist hospitals with the shortages. Lee is also encouraging Tennesseans to get vaccinated.