We asked you to grade Reeves’ COVID response, and the results are in. Did he pass or fail?

More than 6,000 responses were recorded in a Sun Herald survey asking residents to grade Gov. Tate Reeves’ response the COVID-19 fourth wave in Mississippi.

We asked residents to grade Reeves’ overall performance, and to rate the governor’s strategies or comments on several topics surrounding the pandemic that spreading across the state again.

Those topics include: COVID protocols for schools, lockdowns, mask mandates and vaccines.

Here’s a breakdown of how you voted. The survey, however, is still open. Click here to grade the governor.

Grading the governor

Overall grade: F

• More than 4,500 people (77%) gave Reeves a failing mark in the survey.
• Nearly 10% of respondents gave Reeves a passing grade of A, B or C.

Response to delta variant spread

• Nearly 80% of respondents to the poll said they believe Reeves’ leadership so far during the latest COVID spread has failed Mississippians.
• About 10% of respondents said Reeves could be doing more.
• Ten percent of respondents were happy with Reeves’ response, or thought he was exceeding expectation.

Reeves’ stance on vaccines

• An overwhelming number of survey-takers believe Reeves’ messaging of personal choice for vaccines is weak, with 86% of respondents saying he should flat out encourage Mississippians get vaccinated against COVID.
• About 8% of respondents said the governor’s stance is fine and believe vaccines should not be mandated.

School COVID protocols

• More than 5,200 people, or 91% of respondents, believe Reeves should have ordered mandatory mask mandates in schools, or have ordered distance learning as an option during the latest COVID spread.
• Several schools on the Coast have already closed after outbreaks, including four of six schools in the Hancock County School District.

Lockdowns and mask mandates

• The largest difference of opinion in the survey was here. When asked if Reeves should order a statewide mask mandate indoors or enact lockdowns to slow the spread of coronavirus, 74% of respondents said yes.
• The rest, 26%, believe no lockdowns or mask mandates should be enacted by the governor, or were torn about the topic.

This story was originally published August 16, 2021 at 12:02 PM.

Justin Mitchell

Sun Herald

228-604-0705

Justin Mitchell is the Sun Herald senior news editor and works on McClatchy’s audience engagement and development team. He also reports on LGBTQ issues in the Deep South, particularly focusing on Mississippi.