MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Unpublished documents from White House officials puts 18 states in the red zone as far as coronavirus cases. Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas are on the list.
The White House suggests these states need to buckle down by creating more stringent protective measures.
A report by the Center for Public Integrity shows Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee saw more than 100 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people last week.
Read more: Task Force report: Mid-South states among 18 in coronavirus ‘red zone’ that should roll back reopening
However, it’s Mississippi that’s also is in the red for diagnostic testing positivity, meaning the state saw more than 10% of its test results come back positive last week. Tennessee and Arkansas are in the yellow.
“Things are getting worse, not better, on a daily basis in our state. We have identified it. We’re taking steps and measures to help deal with it,” said Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves.
The report says White House officials recommend Mississippi close all bars and gyms, limit social gatherings to 10 or less, and ensure all businesses require masks in all 52 red zone counties.
However, Reeves has only implemented a mask mandate for 13 counties, including DeSoto and Quitman.
“By targeting these 13 counties now, which we may add to or takeaway, will lead to better compliance then if I just signed an order that said statewide everything’s bad, wear a mask,” Reeves said. “Because at the end of the day, me signing the order doesn’t do a doggone thing to slow the spread of the virus.”
Out of the three states, Arkansas is the only one to require masks statewide. Crittenden, Lee, and Mississippi counties are among the 13 counties considered a red zone.
Tennessee may not have a statewide mask requirement, but several red zone counties have implemented such mandates, including Lauderdale and Dyer counties.
