Northeast Tennesseeâs COVID-19 death rate is higher than the state overall, and more than half the Greene Countians who have been hospitalized for the virus have later died from the illness. The reason for the COVID-19 death rate lies primarily in the percentage of the regionâs population above the age of 65, according to Dr. Randy Wykoff, dean of the College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University. âWhen you think about the impact of COVID-19 on the rest of the country, you begin to realize how important age is in our region,â Wykoff said. âThere are cert...