Governor’s New Order Requires Masks At Public Gatherings Or While Shopping

All Mississippians are required to wear a mask at public gatherings or when shopping for the next two weeks following a new executive order issued  by Governor Tate Reeves on Tuesday. The announcement comes as Mississippi had the highest positivity rate in the country last week with more than one in five COVID-19 cases coming back positive.  COVID hospitalization continues to increase and on Tuesday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported that 963 persons are hospitalized for confirmed COVID-19 and 201 are hospitalized for suspected COVID-19.

Prior to Tuesday’s order, Reeves had mandated masks and other safety measures in 39 counties in the state including Yalobusha.

“The reason we issued the mask mandate statewide today is because I believe that a large number of Mississippians are actually participating in slowing down the spread of the virus,” Reeves said. “They are doing exactly what they’ve asked them to do, and I’m proud of that.”

Reeves acknowledged that the masks are not comfortable.

“I hate it more than anybody watching today,” Reeves said at the press conference that included his latest instructions for the start of school.