JACKSON, Miss — On the heels of Mississippi being marked as one of the top states in the country for COVID-19 cases, Tuesday the governor ordered a statewide mask mandate and required delay in the start of school for thousands of students.
Gov. Tate Reeves previously only mandated masks in certain counties seeing the highest increase of COVID-19 cases.
Now he’s issued a state-wide mandate to help stop the spread.
“We have seen over the last several weeks that when people participate and wear masks it helps. We are seeing improvements in our numbers, albeit much slower than any of us would like for it to be in our state,” said Gov. Reeves.
The state-wide mask mandate is in effect until at least August 17.
He also issued a delay in the start of school for grades 7-12 in Bolivar, Coahoma, Forrest, George, Hinds, Panola, Sunflower, and Washington counties.
“We are mandating a delay in counties with more than an absolute number of 200,000 cases and 500 per 100,000 residents in the last two weeks," said Reeves.
The Mississippi Association of Educators is against the decision, stating: "The governor’s plan in its current form is reckless and irresponsible. It ignores the advice of the state’s top medical officials and is putting students and educators and their families at risk.”
The association believes the delay should be longer and asked for a month-long hiatus on in-person instruction with an assessment the the start of September.
Reeves also mandated the use of masks for all staff and students in schools.
“If there is anything essential in this world it is our schools," said Reeves. "We also note that teenagers can be effective spreaders of this virus. We need to work to get our overall transmission rates down.”
In an order Tuesday, the Mississippi state health officer is required people to self-isolate if they have COVID-19.
“If we can all just chill out for about two or three weeks consistent with the mask mandate and just not go to a party, don’t go to a shower, send your regrets to the wedding,” said Dr. Thomas Dobbs.