Mississippi’s new order: Isolate 10 days if you have COVID or face possible felony charge
The Mississippi State Department of Health on Friday issued a new order saying anyone infected with COVID-19 must isolate for 10 days or face possible misdemeanor or felony charges.
Everyone living in Mississippi, vaccinated or not, “must immediately home-isolate on first knowledge of infection,” the new health department order reads.
The isolation should last 10 days from the first symptoms of illness, or for those who are asymptomatic, 10 days from the day of a positive test.
All kindergarten through 12th grade schools also are ordered to exclude students and staff with COVID from the school setting during the 10-day isolation period.
Those in isolation should also limit exposure to others in their household:
- Stay in a specific room away from others.
- Use a separate bathroom if possible.
- No visitors should be allowed in the home.
- When around others in the home, wear a mask.
Breaking any health department order carries a minimum of a misdemeanor charge with penalties of a $500 fine, six months in prison or both.
But the coronavirus is a life-threatening disease, which could mean a harsher felony charge.
“If a life-threatening disease is involved, failure or refusal to obey the lawful order of a health officer is a felony, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 or imprisonment for up to five years or both.”
State law says the health department has the authority “to direct and control sanitary and quarantine measures for dealing with all diseases within the state possible to suppress same and prevent their spread.”
Gov. Tate Reeves’ ongoing coronavirus executive order, set to expire Sept. 20 if not extended, also says State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs is “authorized and empowered to issue such orders as necessary to carry out, implement, and enforce any quarantine or isolation orders to contain and restrict transmission of COVID-19.”
Full text of MS health dept. COVID isolation order
“Pursuant to Mississippi Code Ann. §§ 41-3-51, 41-3-15 et. seq., 41-23-1 et. seq. and the State of Emergency Declaration by the Governor of the State of Mississippi related to the coronavirus COVID-19 issued on March 14, 2020, I, Thomas Dobbs, MD, MPH, State Health Officer, Executive Director of the Mississippi State Department of Health, hereby issue this statewide Order for the Isolation of Individuals Diagnosed with COVID-19.
All persons residing in Mississippi must immediately home-isolate on first knowledge of infection with COVID-19.
All persons, including fully vaccinated individuals, infected with COVID-19 must remain in the home or other appropriate residential location for 10 days from onset of illness (or 10 days from the date of a positive test for those who are asymptomatic). A negative test for COVID-19 is not required to end isolation at the end of 10 days, but you must be fever free for at least 24 hours with improvement of other symptoms.
Mississippi K-12 schools are required to exclude all students and faculty diagnosed with COVID-19 from the school setting during the isolation period (as above).
The failure or refusal to obey the lawful order of a health officer is, at a minimum, a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $500.00 (41-3-59) or imprisonment for six months or both. If a life-threatening disease is involved, failure or refusal to obey the lawful order of a health officer is a felony, punishable by a fine of up to $5,000.00 or imprisonment for up to five years or both (41-23-2).
Persons infected with COVID-19 should limit exposure to household contacts. No visitors should be allowed in the home. Please stay in a specific room away from others in your home. Use a separate bathroom if available. If you need to be around others in your home, you should wear a face mask.
Please see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-whensick.html for guidance on preventing transmission in the home.
Effective this 20th day of August 2021.”
