COAHOMA COUNTY, Miss. – – Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is increasing restrictions as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the state. The governor is now placing 13 more counties under a mask mandate.
“It’s bad. It’s bad everywhere and certainly bad here in the great state of Mississippi,” Gov. Reeves said, “This is a dangerous time. We all need to adjust our behavior accordingly.”
The list of new counties under the mandate includes Quitman and Coahoma, where residents WREG talked with are fine with the requirement. The mandate means residents have to wear a mask when they’re inside a business or public place and can’t maintain six feet of distance from others.
“It’s a good idea,” Jey Hooper said, “I mean, I think it’ll be much safer.”
The governor’s new order means 54 of Mississippi’s 82 counties will be under a mask mandate. In Coahoma there are more than 1,500 reported COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started and 43 reported deaths.
“Very concerned. It’s killing people every day,” Hooper said.
The mask mandate for the new counties takes effect tomorrow but residents like Milton Gardner fear some people won’t follow the rules.
“They feel like it’s a nuisance,” Gardner said, “What I’m saying is we got to come together until we get over this thing.”
Many are clearly convinced a mask is the answer until a vaccine arrives sometime this month.
“It (vaccine) has been described as truly light at the end of the tunnel,” Gov. Reeves said.
The Mississippi Department of Health says hospitalizations for the virus have reached a record high across the state. Officials also say that very few intensive care beds are currently available.
