MS has 1 of highest COVID-19 rates in US, charts show. Did mask mandate help the Coast?
An increase in COVID-19 cases in Jackson and Harrison counties has slowed since Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves mandated masks in those counties, but they are still on the rise.
Statewide, Mississippi had the second highest rate of COVID-19 spread in in the nation for the past seven days, topped only by Florida, a nationwide database maintained by The New York Times shows.
Reeves issued mask mandates July 10 for Harrison, Jackson and 11 other counties with rapid spread of the virus. Reeves has since expanded that mandate to a total of 37 counties that cover more than half the state’s population.
New COVID-19 cases in Harrison County increased by 25.9% the third week in July, but went up by only 15.9% for the last week in July. Jackson County cases climbed 18.4% in the fourth week, compared to 45.5% the previous week.
Reeves also has limited the hours that alcohol can be served in bars and restaurants, where the state has documented COVID-19 spread.
The New York Times database, using numbers compiled from state health agencies, shows 320 cases per 100,000 residents in Mississippi over the last seven days. Only Florida had a higher rate: 333 cases per 100,000.
While a major COVID-19 outbreak at the George County jail caused a huge spike in cases there this week, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs has said in afternoon news briefings that the disease is primarily spreading among families as a result of social gatherings.
He said the Mississippi State Department of Health is seeing symptom onset in patients who four to five days earlier attended a birthday party, got together with family to welcome a cousin to town or attended a funeral.
“It’s not that hard to figure out,” he said.
Young people also have been socializing in bars and bringing home COVID-19 to older family members who are likely to suffer more serious symptoms, Dobbs and Reeves have said.
“It’s groups of people that get together, quite frankly, in violation of the current orders,” Dobbs said. “Socializing is a kind of dangerous endeavor right now.”
He added: “I know it’s a hard thing to thing about: Please stay away from your extended family. . . Let’s just kind of lay low for awhile.”
All counties in Mississippi also are limited to social gatherings of 10 indoors and 20 outdoors. Many parents have questioned the wisdom of sending children back to school next week. School districts were set to submit plans for reopening to Reeves by Friday.
A number of school districts have delayed reopenings by a week or more, saying they need more time to prepare.
The governor has said he is hoping for innovative ideas that include a mix of in-person and online course work. He said children, particularly younger ones, need school settings to thrive.
The Corinth School District, the first to return to class this week, has already reported a COVID-19 case in the school, according to WLBT-TV in Jackson. Corinth offered a remote-learning option, the story says, but 85% of families chose a return to school.
This story was originally published August 1, 2020 at 7:45 AM.
CORRECTION: A governor’s executive order on crowd limits — 10 indoors and 20 outdoors — applies statewide. An earlier version of this story mentioned crowd limits only in relation to counties with mask mandates.
