On Wednesday, Gov. Tate Reeves issued a new order placing 62 of the state’s 82 counties under a new mask mandate as an older executive order that Carroll and Montgomery Counties are currently under is set to expire on Friday.
Reeves put the following counties under the new executive order: Adams, Alcorn, Amite, Attala, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, De Soto, Forrest, Franklin, Grenada, Harrison, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Itawamba, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lafayette, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Leflore, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Neshoba, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pearl River, Perry, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Stone, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Washington, Webster, Winston, Yalobusha and Yazoo Counties.
The mask order is in effect from Friday, Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. until Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 at 5 p.m.
The Governor also ordered that gatherings in all 82 counties be limited to no more than 10 people indoors and no more than 50 people outdoors. Also, some indoor venues are now limited to four spectators per student participant or 250 spectators total. For others, he limited attendance to 10 percent of seating capacity or 1,000 attendees.
Reeves also said that hospitals must reserve at least 10 percent of their capacity for treatment of COVID-19. He said if officials have to strengthen rules, hospitals will be the first place restrictions will be tightened.
“Most are trying, but a lot definitely not adhering to the guidelines,” Reeves said. “Live your life, but protect yourselves and protect your loved ones.”
Dr. Thomas Dobbs said virus spreads happened most often at social events where people don’t wear masks.
“The virus is contracted from people we know or people we love,” he said, noting that those are situations in which many don’t wear masks routinely.
Dobbs said the state is set to receive 25,000 doses of the vaccine and will target frontline exposed healthcare workers first to receive the vaccine. He said vaccines will go to hospitals first then to nursing home residents and employees, if enough doses are available. Then, the next distribution will go to private clinics and pharamacies.
Carroll and Montgomery Counties have both reported over 800 positive cases of COVID-19 infection since March 11, when the Coronavirus pandemic began.
Carroll and Montgomery have seen many recent weeks where reported cases have been high:
Carroll County:
Week of Oct. 31 – 40 cases
Week of Nov. 7 – 43 cases
Week of Nov. 14 – 63 cases and one death
Week of Nov. 21 – 51 cases
Week of Nov. 28 – 36 cases
According to the Mississippi Department of Health, one of the cases reported during the week of Nov. 22 through Nov. 28 was affiliated to an outbreak, identified in Carroll County at a church. The church’s name is not being released.
Montgomery County
Week of Oct. 31 – 22 cases and one death
Week of Nov. 7 – 44 cases
Week of Nov. 14 – 55 cases and one death
Week of Nov. 21 – 42 cases
Week of Nov. 28 – 32 cases
During the week of Nov. 22 through Nov. 28, one of the positive cases reported was affiliated with an outbreak at a long-term care facility.
