Gov. Reeves lifts mask mandate in new executive order

JACKSON, Miss. (WTOK) - Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has signed a new executive order related to COVID-19. It removes all county mask mandates and allows businesses to operate without restrictions. Individual businesses may enact limits as they see fit.

WATCH here.

The order goes into effect at 5 p.m. Mar. 3 and will be in effect until Mar. 31.

“Today, I signed what I expect will be one of my last executive orders regarding COVID-19. Our hospitalizations have plummeted, and our case numbers have fallen dramatically as well. In fact, our case numbers have fallen to the point where no county meets the original criteria for a mask mandate,” said Reeves.

Mississippians are encouraged, though not ordered, to wear a face covering and practice social distancing.
K-12 schools will still require a mask where social distancing is not possible. Seating for K-12 extracurricular activities at outdoor venues is now set at 50% capacity and 25% maximum seating capacity inside. Seating capacity for indoor bowl and arena seating is now increased to 50%.

Reeves said he left some limits in place for K-12 schools because of the importance of having children in school, receiving a quality education with their peers.

Starting tomorrow, we are lifting all of our county mask mandates and businesses will be able to operate at full capacity without any state-imposed rules. Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!
— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) March 2, 2021

State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs noted the good news of a new tool of a third single-dose vaccine from Johnson & Johnson. The state is to receive 24,000 of those this week.

He said forty-five percent of people 65 and older in Mississippi have received at least one dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Outbreaks at long-term care facilities have also declined since the vaccine became available.

Dobbs said 30% of vaccines in Mississippi have gone to African Americans. He called it a good number, noting the state’s African American population is about 38 percent.