State and healthcare leaders met with members of the White House Coronavirus task force Wednesday to discuss the state's response to the virus. Governor Tate Reeves says they were supportive of the state's mask mandates, but they advised that he close bars to slow the spread further. The Governor says he's considering this option, but a decision may not be reached this week. "It is not in my DNA to shut down private businesses, so this is something that we're having a lot of conversations about. There seem to be distinctions between those who are outdoor and those who are indoor, and so there's a lot of nuances there that we're trying to work through. But I am concerned about potential transmission in bars," says Reeves.
State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs says the amount of patients being admitted to hospitals has doubled in the last month, and one-third of all intensive care patients in Mississippi have the Coronavirus. He says "Goldman Sachs, you know no socialist enterprise at all, strongly endorses masking. And even a modest increase in masking could save our economy up to a trillion dollars. Why in the world are we not doing that? It's absolutely maddening."
Alabama's Governor has issued a statewide mandate requiring masks in public. Reporters asked Governor Reeves if he's considering a statewide mask mandate, a question he's been asked at nearly all of his recent press conferences. He says "You know it would be a heck of a lot easier for me just to sign the order so y'all can quit asking that question. Then I wouldn't have to deal with it every day. But I'm here to tell you, I think fewer people would wear masks in the counties where it's most important if that's what I did. Otherwise, I'd do it. But I don't believe that's the best strategy."
Currently, 13 counties in Mississippi have mask mandates, and the governor says he intends to add more counties if infection rates continue to rise.
