Governor extends statewide mask mandate

Gov. Tate Reeves extends a mask mandate for another two weeks.

WITH BREAKING NEWS.HAPPY FRIDAY TO ALL OF MY FELLOWMISSISSIPPIANS AND THANK YOU FORJOINING US.ON WHAT IS A WET?TODAY AFTERNOO AS WE MENTIONEDEARLIER IN THE WEEK.OUR NUMBERS ARE IMPROVING AND ITIS BECAUSE OF YOUR EFFORTS.AS WE KNOW OUR 7-DAY AVERAGE.PETE AT 1358 CASES OVER SEVENDAY PERIOD ON THE DAILY NUMBERTODA OVER THE LAST SEVEN DAYSTHAT NUMBER IS LESS THAN 800.YOU LOOK AT WHAT OCCURRED THREEWEEKS AGO.WE REACHED A LEVEL OFAPPROXIMATELY.90 AND EXCUSE ME NINE THOUSANDONE HUNDRED CASES IF YOU AGO.AS I MENTIONED ON MONDAY, WE HADGOTTEN THAT NUMBER DOWN TO SIXTHOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED CASESOVER THE 7-DAY PERIOD IT APPEARSBASED UPON MY BACK OF THEENVELOPE MATH THAT WE’RE GOINGTO AGAIN.REDUCE THAT NUMBER OVER THE7-DAY PERIOD FROM SATURDAY TFRIDAY DOWN TO ABOUT 5,500.SO WE DID ABOUT A 30% DECREASEFROM THREE TO 2 WEEKS AGO.WE DID A PRICE ME A 20% DECREASEFROM LAST FRIDAY TO THIS FRIDAY.SO THE NUMBERS ARE GOING IN THERIGHT DIRECTION.THAT IS SOMETHING WE BE PROUDOF.CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I AMPROUD OF BUT I ALSO KNOW THATTHAT JUST GIVES ME EVEN MOREREASON TO WORK EVEN HARDER OVERTHE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS BECAUSEIF WE CAN HAVE TWO MORE WEEKSLIKE WE HAD THE LAST TWO WEEKSAND WE CAN CUT THESE NUMBERS INHALF AGAIN.WE WILL BE IN A MUCH BETTERPOSITION AND WE’LL BE BACK NEARWHERE WE WERE IN THE MARCH ANDAPRIL TIME FRAME IN TERMS OFCOMMUNITY SPREAD IF WE STOPWORKING NOW WE PRETEND LIWE’VE DONE OUR JOB THEN THENUMBERS ARE GOING TO GO BACK UP.VERY VERY VERY QUICKLY.AND VERY RAPIDLY WE ALSO KNOWTHAT HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE ALAGGING INDICATOR MUCH LIKEDEATHS.AND FATALITIES ARE A LAGGINGINDICATOR.IF YOU LOOK AT OURHOSPITALIZATIONS TODAY IF YOULOOK AT BOTH CONFIRM COVID PLUSSUSPECTED KOVIN IN OUR HOSPITALSTHAT NUMBERS ABOUT 1120.THAT NUMBER PEAKED A LITTLE OVERONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AWE’RE DOWN A LITTLE OVER 1 WENEED TO AGAIN CUT THAT NUMBER INHALF AND WE CAN OVER THE NEXTFOUR TO FIVE WEEKS.IF WE CAN REMAIN VERY VERY VERYDILIGENT.AND SO MY COMMITMENT IS TOCONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TOREDUCE COMMUNITY SPREAD.AND WE KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MOSTIMPORTANT TOPICS THAT WE HAVE TOCONSIDER.IS EDUCATION AND THE ACTIVITIESTHAT ARE THAT SURROUNDEDUCATION.I BELIEVE IN MY HEART WE CANWORK TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDRENWHILE ALSO KEEPING THE COMMUNITYSPREAD OF COVID-19 TO A MINIMUM.I’D REALLY WANT TO COMMENDEVERYONE ACROSS THE STATE WHOHAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO ENSURETHAT OUR CHILDREN GET A QUALITYEDUCATION IN SPITE OF THISGLOBAL PANDEMIC.WHAT ARE THE OPEN QUESTIONS?HAS BEEN ABOUT SPORTS.AND OTHER EXTRACURRICULARACTIVITIES.FIRST OF ALL, WE CAN BE ADULTS.WE CAN ADMIT THAT EVERY ACTIVITYIN LIFE.CARIES RISK THERE IS A REASONTHAT AMBULANCES ARE PARKEDOUTSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALLGAMES.IN A NORMAL YEAR WE ALSO KNOWTHAT WE CAN AND WE MUST MANAGETHOSE RISKS.I BELIEVE.THIS SPORTS AND THESE OTHERACTIVITIES ARE INSTRUMENTAL INTHE LIVES.OF YOUNG MISSISSIPPIAN THEYTEACH DISCIPLINE ANDRESPONSIBILITY IN A WAY THATCANNOT BE REPLICATED IN ACLASSROOM.FOR MANY IT’S THESEEXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.IT’S FOOTBALL.IT’S SOCCER.IT’S VAN.IT’S OTHER THINGS.ARE THE TICKET TO A COLLEGEDEGREE?IN A NEW LIFE FOR THE REST THEYPROVIDE A STRUCTURE.AN INCENTIVE TO LEAR I DON’TKNOW HOW MANY MORE HIGH SCHOOLDROPOUTS WE WOULD HAVE IN THISCOUNTRY WITHOUT SPORTS.I DO KNOW THE SEVERAL OF MYBUDDIES GROWING UP.ONLY TOOK THEIR GRADE SERIOUSLYBECAUSE THEY TOOK SPORTSSERIOUSLY.THEY CARED AN AWFUL LOT ABOUTWHAT THEY HAD TO DO TO MAINTAINA GPA SO THEY COULD STAYELIGIBLE.TO PLAY SOME IN ACADEMICS MIGHTSAY WELL THAT’S FOOLISH.AND MAYBE IT IS BUT I DO KNOWTHIS.IT HAPPENS.IT HAPPENS IN EVERY SINGLE HIGHSCHOOL ACROSS, MISSISSIPPI.SCHOOL ACROSS AMERICA.HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT.WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE LIVINGTHROUGH A PANDEMIC THE LIKES OFWHICH THIS COUNTRY NOT SEENSINCE 1918.ONE OF MY GREATEST CONCERNSHEADING INTO THE SCHOOL SEASONHAS BEEN SPORTS.AND THOSE OTHER EVENTS WHICHCAUSED THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUTIN LARGE CROWDS.PLEASE HEAR ME.SAY THIS.22 PLAYERS ON A FIELD IS NOTGOING TO OVERWHELM A LOCALHOSPITAL.22 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD IS NOTGOING TO OVERLY STRESS.OUR HEALTH CARE SYST HOWEVER2,000 PEOPLE IN IN A SMALLSCHOOL’S BLEACHERS ABSOLUTELYCOULD HAVE THAT EFFECT.AND BECAUSE OF THAT AND BECAUSEI WON’T HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS.AND I WANT COLLEGE SPORTS TOCONTINUE.I’M GOING TO SAY I HAVE ALREADYSIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TODAY.NOW IT IS DEALING ONLY WITH HIGHSCHOOL SPORTS.WE WILL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS.COLLEGE ATTENDANCE IN THE DAYSAND WEEKS TO COME BUT I’LL HAVESIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THATEXTENDS OUR CURRENT RULES.IN REO FOR TWO MORE WEEKS.UNTIL THE LAST DAY OF AUGUST,AUGUST 3 IN ADDITION TO THATI’VE SIGNED AN EO.THE PLACES I ATTENDANCE CAP ONEXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES LIKESPORTS ALL K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLSIN MISSISSIPPI WILL BE REQUIREDTO ENSURE.THAT N MORE THAN TWO SPECTATORSPER PARTICIPANT.BARTENDI THAT MAY MEAN TOPARENTS.IT MAY MEAN YOUR DAD AND YOURSISTER.IT MAY MEAN YOUR MOM AND YOURBROTHER.IT MAY MEAN YOUR BEST FRIEND.AND YOUR BOYFRIE BUT ONLY TWOSPECTATORS WILL BE ALLOWED FOREACH LAST FOR EACH ATHLETE.OR FOR EACH BAND MEMBERCHEERLEADER OR OTHER PARTICIPANTIN WHATEVER EXTRACURRICULAR OREXTRACURRICULAR EVENT.OCCURS WE’RE DOING THIS.UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST WE WILLEVALUATE.HOW WELL SCHOOLS OR ENFORCINGIT.AND WE WILL INVITE EVALUATE.IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL ATCONTINUING TO DRIVE OUR NUMBERSDOWN.THIS IS A PRUDENT STEP.TO HELP US ENSURE THAT WE CANKEEP KIDS IN THE CLASSROOM.WHICH IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITYWHILE ALSO GIVING ALL OF THOSEKIDS WITH EXTRACURRICULARACTIVITIES AND OPPORTUNITY.TO PERFORM TO COMPET IN TOLEARN VALUABLE LESSONS IN LIFE.NO, UNDERSTAND THAT THIS NOTGOING TO BE POPULAR.WITH SONG I TOTALLY UNDERSTANDTHAT.WHAT I WANT ALL OF MY FELLOWMISSISSIPPIANS TO THINK ABOU ISWHEN WE TALK ABOUT HIGH SCHOOLSPORTS.IS IT FOR?THE FAMILY OR ARE THEY FOR THESTUDENT-ATHLETE?IF IN A PANDEMIC WE CAN PROTECTTHE STUDENT ATHLETE AND PROTECTYOUR FAMILIES THE SAME TIME.THEN WE WILL BE ACCOMPLISHINGSOMETHING.SOMETHING A GOAL THAT I BELIEVEWORTH FIGHTING F I UNDERSTAND.THIS IS NOT FUN.BUT IT IS NECESSARY.AS WE WORK TO CONTINUE TOIMPROVE OUR NUMBERS.I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE.THESE STEPS TO ALL MY FELLOWMISSISSIPPIANS, PLEASE CONTINUETO STAY VIGILANT.PLEASE WEAR A MASK.DON’T GO TO PARTIES.DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN.WE CAN BEAT OUR CONDON COMMON.ENEMY.WE CAN BEAT THIS VIRUS, BUT WECAN ONLY DO IT IF WE’RE WORKINGTOGETHER.SO WITH THAT I’M GOING TO TURNIT OVER TO DR. DOBBS AND LET HIMGIVE US AN UPDATE ON THENUMBERS.THANK YOU.GOVERNOR.SO TODAY WE’RE REPORTING 944 NEWCASES OF CORONAVIRUS WERE 32ADDITIONAL DEATHS WE ARECONTINUING TO SEE THISMAINTAINED MODERATION OR DELICASE COUNTS.SO WOULD AGAIN REITERATE THEIMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING OUREFFORTS AT SOCIAL DISTANCINGMASKING AND SMALL GROUPS.REGARDING HOSPITALIZATIONS.WE HAVE HAD SOME STABILIZATIONIN OUR IN OUR NUMBER OF HOSPITALOCCUPIED HOSPITAL BEDS.WE DID HAVE A BIT OF AN INCREASEIN TO THE HOSPITAL’SHOSPITALIZATIONS TODAY, BUTOVERALL WE’VE HAD STABILITY BUTSTILL WE HAVE ELEVEN HOSPITALSWITH ZERO ICU BEDS CURRENTLYAVAILABLE.LOOKING AT OUR DADS.WE SADLY HAVE SEEN DEATHS INSOME YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS ANDMISSISSIPPI THIS WEEK.WE’RE REPORTING THE DEATH OF ONETEENAGER WITH NO UNDERLYINGMEDICAL CONDITIONS.AND ALSO A YOUNG PREGNANT WOMANIN HER EARLY 20S.REMINDER THAT ALTHOUGH SEVEREILLNESS AND DEATH IN YOUNGPEOPLE IS UNLIKELY.IT DOES OCCUR AND WE SHOULD ALLREDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO MAKESURE THAT WE PREVENTTRANSMISSION.IF WE’RE LOOKING AT THE SCHOOLSSO FAR WE HAVE 38 COUNTIES WITHSCHOOLS REPORTING CASES OFCORONAVIRUS.WITHIN THOSE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS,AND IT’S MORE THAN 38 SCHOOLS.IT’S JUST THAT’S THE NUMBER OFCOUNTIES.WE HAVE 190 TEACHERS WHO ARECONFIRMED CASES AND 69 STUDENTS.IF WE LOOK AT THOSE W AREQUARANTINED WE HAVE 250 FORSTUDENTS AND STAFF AT TEACHERSAND STAFF THAT ARE QUARANTINEDAND 489 STUDENTS THAT ARECURRENTLY UNDER QUARANTINE.WE ARE PERFORMING.SURVEILLANCE OF DAILY CASES ORACTUALLY WEEKLY CASES.THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND AREMANDATING REPORTING FROM EACHSCHOOL TO THE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH SO THAT WE CAN MONITORACTIVITY.THIS IS APPLICABLE BOTH TOPRIVATE AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.WE HAVE ALSO ASSIGNED 9 OUTBREAKTEAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.EACH COUNTY WILL HAVE A SPECIFICOUTBREAK TEAM THAT’S THERE TOASSIST NOT ONLY WITH RESPONDINGTO OUTBREAKS BUT ALSO FORANSWERING QUESTIONS, AND WE’VEBEEN IN REGULAR COMMUNICATIONSWITH SCHOOL LEADERS TO MAKE SURETHAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY CANCONTACT THEM FOR ASSISTANCE.AND IN REGARDING SCHOOLS WOULDLIKE TO REITERATE THAT SHIELDSFACE SHIELDS.DO NOT SUPERSEDE THE NEED FORMASKS MASKS ARE STILL REQUIREDSHIELDS ARE AN ADDED ELEMENT OFPROTECTION OF IT MASKS ARE STILLNECESSARY.WE HAVE ALSO AT THE DEPARTMENTHEALTH INSTITUTED OUR NEWSURVEILLANCE SOFTWARE AND WE’RESEEING IMPROVED EFFICIENCY.SO HOPEFULLY WE’LL HAVE BETTEROPERATIONS GOING FORWARD EVENTHAN WE’VE SEEN THUS FAR ANDFINALLY WE WOULD LIKE TOANNOUNCE THAT NEXT THURSDAYFRIDAY AND SATURDAY THEDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ANDNATIONAL GUARD TESTING TEAMSWILL BE WORKING WITH THEMISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAWINDIANS TO PERFORM UNIVERSALTESTING AT THE SILVER STARCASINO PARKING GARAGE ANDCHOCTAW, MISSISSIPPI.WHERE ENCOURAGING EVERYONE INTHE AREA MEMBERS OF THEMISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAWINDIANS AND ALSO PEOPLE LIVINGIN THE SURROUNDING TOCOMMUNITIES TO PLEASE COME INAND GET FREE TESTING.YOU DON’T NEED TO HAVE SYMPTOMS.YOU DON’T NEED TO HAVE IT BEENEXPOSED.YOU DON’T NEED AN APPOINTMENTJUST SHOW UP AND WE’LL TEST YOU.SO PLEASE COME IN NEXT WEEKTHURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY AT THEPARKING GARAGE OF THE SILVERSTAR CASINO AND GOVERNOR.THAT’S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.DR. DOBBS.I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT.FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR STATE ANDAGAIN, I WILL PREFACE THIS BYTELLING YOU THAT THESE ARE TOTALCASES IN TWO WEEK PERIOD THATARE ABOUT A WEEK BEHIND BECAUSETHAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TOHAVE COMPLETE DATA.SO FOR DISCLOSURE AND CJ DOES AGREAT JOB WITH FOLLOWING THENUMBERS, BUT WITH THE DATA THATWE ARE LOOKING AT.I JUST WANT TO MENTION WE HAVE ASTATEWIDE MASK MANDATE.AND WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS IMENTIONED EARLIER AS IMPROVEDNUMBERS.WE’RE SEEING THE NUMBERS OVERTHE 7-DAY PERIOD GO FROM 90 100TO 6700 DOWN TO ABOUT 5,500.THAT’S VERY GOOD AND IN MOSTCOUNTIES WE’RE SEEING A TOTALCASE DIFFERENTIAL SINCE THE LASTTWO WEEK PERIOD THAT IS NEGATIVEIN OTHER WORDS.WE’RE SEEING FAR FEWER CASES INA LOT OF COUNTIES.WE STILL HAVE A STATEWIDE MASKMANDATE, BUT I WANT TO JUSTPOINT OUT TO THOSE OF YOU WHOLIVE IN BOLIVAR AND FOREST ANDJONES AND LEE.AS WELL AS UNION AND PANOLACOUNTIES.JUST FYI.WE ARE SEEING LESS COMMUNITYTRANSITION TRANSMISSION.WE’RE SEEING MUCH LOWER GROWTHIN THOSE COUNTIES, BUT WE ARESEEING POSITIVE INCREASES INCASES.AND SO AGAIN, I WANT YOU ALL TOBE EXTRA DILIGENT IN BOLIVAR ANDFOREST AND JONES AND LEE.PANOLA IN UNION COUNTIES THEREARE A COUPLE OTHER COUNTIES.SUCH AS LOUNS AND WARREN COUNTYWHERE THE CASE NUMBERS ARECOMING DOWN, BUT THEY’RE COMINGDOWN AT A RELATIVELY SLOW RATE.SO IT THEY’RE REALLY STABLE ANDRELATIVELY FLAT AND SO FOR US TOREALLY CONTINUE TO DRIVE NUMBERSDOWN BIG WHERE WE GET THAT ARENOT NUMBER DOWN BELOW POINTNINE, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARESITTING TODAY.WE NEEDED DOWN BELOW POINT NINEAND MORE IN EVERY SINGLE COUNTYREMEMBER ARE NOT IS ACTUALLY FOREVERY ONE PERSON HAS THE VIRUSHOW MANY THEY ARE.READING IT TOO WHEN THAT NUMBERGETS UP ABOVE ONE.IT IS PARTICULARLY BAD BECAUSEWE SEE GROWTH IN CASES WHEN ITGETS TO 1.19 WHICH IS WHERE ITWAS.THREE OR FOUR WEEKS AGO THE THEEXPONENTIAL SPREAD CAN REALLYCATCH UP AND THAT’S WHAT GETSYOU IN BIG TROUBLE.LIKEWISE IF YOU CAN GET IT DOWNBELOW 0.9 OR EVEN PREFERABLYBELOW .8 YOU CAN START SEEINGSIGNIFICANTLY FEWER NEW CASESVERY VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE OF THEWAY IN WHICH T THE MATHEMATICSWORKS AND SO AGAIN, PLEASE.CONTINUE TO STAY DILIGENTSTATEWIDE CONTINUE.WHERE AM A STATEWIDE, BUT I DIDJUST WANT TO BRIEFLY MENTION ASI DID ON MY FACEBOOK LIVEYESTERDAY THOSE COUNTIES JUST TOBE A LITTLE EXTRA DILIGENT IN ALITTLE DECK EXTRA VIGILANT INTHOSE COUNTIES.THAT I’M GOING TO TURN IT OVERTO DIRECTOR MICHELLE WHO IS BACKWITH US TODAY AFTER MEETING WITHLOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALSTHROUGHOUT THE STATE AND LET HIMGIVE US AN UPDATE.THANK YOU GOVERNOR.GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.I DID HAVE GOOD MEETINGS EARLIERTHIS WEEK WITH MEMBERS OF YOURBOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS WELL ASYOU’RE A CITY AND COUNTYADMINISTRATORS TALKING ABOUT THEMISSISSIPPI COVID-19 EMERGENCYRELIEF FUND GOOD MEETINGS.GOOD DIALOGUE AS OF TODAY.WE’VE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY SIXHUNDRED AND FORTY FOURAPPLICATIONS.WE JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONETHAT’S LISTENING THAT THEMISSISSIPPI EMERGENCY COVID-19RELIEF FUND IS FOUR COUNTIES ANDMUNICIPALITIES ONLY IT IS THISIS NOT A PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALSAND CERTAINLY NOT A PROGRAM FORSMALL BUSINESSES.SO PLEASE IF YOU WOULD JUST BEAWARE FOR THAT AND BE MINDFUL OFTHAT MY FOLKS WILL CONTINUE TODIRECT YOU AS BEST THEY CAN TOOTHER RESOURCES AS THEY BECOMEAVAILABLE ALSO WANT TO REITERATETHE DEADLINE THESE APPLICATIONSWILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL OCTOBERTHE THINK SO.PLEASE CONTINUE TO WORK ANDGETTING YOUR PROJECT WORKSTATEMENTS IN B FOR BOTHPUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND THE CARESACT 1 PERCENT REIMBURSEMENTTRACK AS A REMINDER RESOURCESARE AVAILABLE AT MY WEBSITE ATWWW.ESC11.NET ORG AS WELL AS OURCALL CENTER.TH NUMBER IS AGAIN, 1844 FIVETWO TWO QUICK TROPICA UPDATE.IT APPEARS THAT TROPICAL STORM.JOSEPHINE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKETHAT RIGHT HOOK OFF INTO THEATLANTIC.SO ONCE AGAIN THAT’S GOOD NEWSFOR US AND WE’LL CONTINUE TOWATCH