OS mayor defends July 4 block party as coronavirus rages, says hospitals can handle it
Like many residents, Ocean Springs attorney Robert Wiygul questions the city’s wisdom in hosting a downtown block party for July Fourth during the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wiygul also has an employee who is extremely ill from COVID-19 and who has other family members infected. So he sent city aldermen and Mayor Shea Dobson an email Thursday morning that closed with a question: ”I know most of you and respect the work you do, but what the heck are you thinking?”
Dobson responded during lunchtime, opening with these remarks: “The goal of the shutdowns was, and has always been, to flatten the curve. I have spoken to local medical professionals and hospital executives who have assured me the hospital is nowhere near capacity and capable of serving everyone. The curve has been flattened.”
Dobson’s email response, a copy of which was shared with the Sun Herald, completely contradicts information from State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs and daily COVID-19 reports from the Mississippi State Department of Health.
The curve has not flattened.
Health officer predicts ‘major disaster’ with coronavirus
COVID-19 cases have increased alarmingly this week, with a record 611 cases reported Wednesday. That record was shattered Thursday, when 1,092 new cases were reported — a 78.7% increase.
Dobbs, who has a master’s degree in public health and is an experienced epidemiologist, told the Sun Herald earlier this week that hospitals, including Coast hospitals, are already stressed.
In a reopened economy, he said, people are failing to wear masks. They are not social distancing or avoiding crowds. They are failing to do the simple things that would contain COVID-19.
He said a “major disaster” is in the making unless Mississippians begin to behave more responsibly.
The Ocean Springs mayor doesn’t see it that way. His background is in politics, government, sales and financial services, according to his Linkedin profile.
For one thing, he doesn’t believe the MSDH’s coronavirus numbers are accurate. The MSDH is including antibody tests in results with positive coronavirus tests. A positive antibody test shows that someone was exposed to coronavirus in the past, not that they have it now.
Only 4% of the 277,169 coronavirus tests conducted through Wednesday were antibody tests, the MSDH website shows. The vast majority of tests were for active COVID-19 cases. The state has a total of 24,516 COVID-19 cases and 1,016 have died from the virus.
About those deaths, Dobson is not sure all of them were from COVID-19. He said some people who died were not tested. The MSDH has said that in cases where people died at home and were not tested by coroners, the MSDH has completed death investigations and verified the cause as coronavirus.
Take ‘personal responsibility,’ Ocean Springs mayor says
Dobson is unconvinced. He is looking forward to the Fourth of July weekend celebrations. There will be fireworks on the beach Friday night and a daylong downtown block party Saturday.
“What I would suggest is that people take personal responsibility, take their health in their own hands and come on down and celebrate the birth of our nation in a safe way,” Dobson said.
Dobson does not personally wear a mask because he finds it hard to breathe. He said he goes to City Hall daily but is pretty much around the same people and is otherwise a homebody.
Dobbs has implored city leaders to set an example by following public health rules on wearing masks, social distancing and avoiding crowds.
Wiygul said he’s doesn’t mind the fireworks, where people can watch on the beach and socially distance, as much as he does the block party downtown. Ocean Springs bars and businesses attract large crowds and, in many cases, a young clientele.
COVID-19 spreading from young adults
The MSDH sent out a tweet Thursday saying cases are rising fastest among young adults who are not wearing masks or social distancing. They spread the virus to older family members more at risk of serious illness or death.
“I’m just extremely concerned because what we are seeing is community transmission,” Wiygul said.
“It’s one thing for us to work on opening our economy back up in a careful and sensible way. It’s another thing to be having block parties when that is exactly the opposite of what our public health officials tell us we should be doing.”
“I think they need to not have that block party.”
The city was also getting plenty of blow back about the block party under its Facebook post announcing the plans.
“You know what is patriotic?” one commenter asked. “Protecting your fellow citizens by NOT encouraging people to gather in large groups during a pandemic. I am so disappointed in Ocean Springs.”
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
