Governor Tate Reeves is extending the Safer at Home order an additional week because there hasn’t been a significant decline in the number of Coronavirus cases. Reeves says he is allowing businesses like waterparks and outdoor recreational facilities to reopen. “Do we need racetracks and waterparks for most people to survive and live quality lives in our state? No. Of course not. But does that small business owner and their employees need them open to survive? Absolutely yes. They do.” The extended safer at home order also allows schools to reopen gyms and outdoor recreational facilities. The order is set to expire June 1.
Greg Michel with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency says the state needs to prepare for a possible second wave of the virus in the fall. He says the agency is taking bids from companies so there will be a stockpile of personal protective equipment on hand. Michel says "To allow equal and fair competition across the board, and to ensure that we’re getting the best value for or dollar in this process given that we have some time now to do that. We did not have that luxury on the very front end of this, but we do now and we’re going to make time for that.”
Governor Reeves is also adding Holmes County to a list of seven others (Neshoba, Scott and Attala, Leake, Jasper, Newton and Lauderdale) that are under stiffer restrictions. State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs says he is concerned about the county’s relatively large number of cases. “In Holmes County it seems to be just community transmission," said Dobbs. "We have had some anecdotal communications about people having social events and not really worrying about social distancing, certainly not wearing masks as we have recommended. There are some associations with long term care, and there are some associations with different industries, but that’s a minority.”
