Governor Tate Reeves recently posted on social media college football is essential, but the sport should be played to smaller crowds in the fall. He says this is one part of returning to a more normal life, while also continuing to reduce Coronavirus transmission rates. He says "We have got to find a way to move through the next three or four months, or five months, or however long it is until a vaccine is found to operate in a way that is smart but also affords us the opportunity to live our life."
State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs says Mississippi has seen some progress in slowing the virus. But, he says people must continue to wear masks and social distance. "We've gotta just stick with it for a while. Until we have an effective vaccine, we're not likely to see the end of this. And so we're gonna look into the next year," says Dr. Dobbs. "Let's have a long view, be patient, and not minimize the severity of the virus. There's a temptation to minimize it so that we don't have to worry about it, and then we end up paying the price for that too."
Governor Reeves says if residents continue to reduce community spread of the virus, "we can continue to see positive results. Hopefully, we can continue to see positive results on our athletic fields. Hopefully, we can continue to see life that is more similar to what we are accustomed rather than what we have gone through for the past six months."
Reeves says Mississippi could be on the tail end of the first wave of the virus, but if people stop masking and social distancing, a second wave could bring case numbers back up.
