Governor amends safe return order

Gov.

Tate Reeves amends his safe return order to include more restrictions on social gatherings and bars.

WITH BREAKING NEWS, JULY 24TH.WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OFOUR MOST PAINFUL PERIOD OFCOVID-19 SPREAD.DURING 2020 ENDURING THISPANDEMIC WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THISFOR WEEKS.NOW.WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO REMINDYOU THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TOWORK TOGETHER TO SLOW THE SPREADOF THIS VIRUS.TO PREVENT OUR HEALTH SYSTEMFROM BECOMING OVERWHELME ANDWHILE WE’VE TRIED TO EXPLAINEXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS.I WANT TO TRY TO DO IT AGAINTODAY.I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT ANOVERWHELMED SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE.UM, YOU KNOW IT’S NOT LIKE OWNEROFF SWITCH, RIGHT?IT’S NOT LIKE TURNING ON A LIGHTAND TURNING IT OFF.THERE ARE DEGREES TO WHICHQUALITY OF CARE CAN BEDELIVERED.FOR INSTANCE WHETHER YOU HAVECOVID-19 OR YOU’RE IN ANAUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT OR IF YOUHAVE A HEART ATTACK.THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOING TOAN EMERGENCY ROOM.AND BEING TREATED WITHIN THEFIRST 20 MINUTES GETTING IN ANAMBULANCE AND DRIVING FOR TWOHOURS TO THE FIRST AVAILABLE BEDIS A VERY DIFFERENT OUTCOMELONG-TERM.THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVINGDOCTORS AND NURSES THAT AREWORKING ON YOU THAT ARE WELLRESTED THAT HAVE NOT BEENOVERWHELMED THAT HAVE NOT BEENWORKING 22 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS AWEEK VERSUS THOSE WHO HAVE ISJUST A DIFFERENT LEVEL OFQUALITY OF CARE.WE’RE ALL HUMANS.AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT AND TALKABOUT OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEM, IT’SNOT AS IF ONE DAY WE’RE GOING TOTELL YOU.HEY, WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO ANOVERWHELM SYSTEM AND THE NEXTDAY WE’RE GOING TO COME IN ANDSAY BOOM.IT’S DONE WHERE OVERWHELMEDNOBODY CAN GO TO THE HOSPITAL.IT’S DEGREES.IT’S LEVELS.IT’S DR. DOBBS AND ON HIS TEAMAND OUR TEAM LOOKING A WEEK OUTIN TWO WEEKS OUT AND MAKINGPROJECTIONS AND PREDICTIONS ONWHERE HOSPITALIZATIONS AREGOING.AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO THEOVERALL QUALITY OF CARE FORMISSISSIPPIANS?AND SO THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TALKINGABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ANOVERWHELMED SYSTEM IF YOU GO TOAN EMERGENCY ROOM IN THE STATEOF MISSISSIPPI TODAY, YOU’REGOING TO GET TREATED.BUT THE QUESTION BECOMES HOWLONG IN THE FUTURE IS THAT AGUARANTEE AND AT WHAT POINT ISTHE QUALITY OF THAT CARECOMPROMISED NOT BECAUSE OF THEQUALITY OF THE PERSONNECESSARILY THAT IS TREATINGYOU.IS NOT HIGH QUALITY.IT’S JUST EVENTUALLY THERE’SONLY SO MUCH THAT ONE CAN DO.AND SO WE KNOW FOR A FACT THATWE ARE STRESSING THE SYSTEM WEKNOW FOR A FACT THAT THAT DR.DOBBS AND I ARE WORKING VERYHARD TO LEAN ON OUR HOSPITAL ANDHEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATORS TOSURGE CAPACITY.WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT SOME OFTHEM ARE DOING THAT AND WEAPPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS AND WEKNOW FOR A FACT THAT I AT LEASTAM GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FOREVEN MORE SURGE CAPACITY WITHINOUR HEALTH CARE IN WITHIN OURHOSPITALS.WE ALSO KNOW FOR A FACT THATTHAT ALONE IS NOT GOING TO SOLVETHE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE.THERE’S GOING TO HAVE TO BEADDITIONAL SACRIFICES MADE.BY THE PEOPLE OF MISSISSIPPINONE OF THOSE SACRIFICES AREFUN.I DON’T LIKE IT.YOU DON’T LIKE IT.WE DON’T LIKE IT.BUT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE.IS 2020 AND IN 2020 THINGSAREN’T LIKE THEY WERE IN 2019.I WAS 19.I WAS RUNNING A POLITICALCAMPAIGN WORKING 20 HOURS A DAY7 DAYS A WEEK AND I NEVERTHOUGHT I WOULD LONG FOR THOSEDAYS, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THATI LONG FOR THOSE DAYS RATHERTHAN DEALING WITH THIS VIRUS.BUT THE REALITY IS IT IS BEFOREUS IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY ASLEADERS TO STEP UP.IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY ASCITIZENS OF MISSISSIPPI TO STEPUP TO HELP OUR FRIENDS AND TOHELP OUR NEIGHBORS.AND THEREFORE WHAT I WANT YOU TOKNOW TODAY IS WE’RE GOING TOMAKE NUMEROUS ANNOUNCEMENTS.TODAY WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TOMAKE NEWS IN DOING A FEW THINGSTHAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUTFOR SEVERAL DAYS.NOW, WE’RE IN I AM GOING TOEITHER HAVE OR WILL SIGNEXECUTIVE ORDERS BEFORE THE ENDOF THE DAY.THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECTIMMEDIATELY.TO DO THE FOLLOWING THINGSNUMBER ONE SIX MORE COUNTIESHAVE MADE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOROUR MORE STRICT MEASURES AS YOUWILL RECALL.WE INITIALLY MOST TWO WEEKS AGOADDED 13 OR INITIALLY ADDED 13COUNTIES.WE THEN ADDED TEN MORE TODAY.WE ARE ADDING SIX MORE COUNTIESTO THE LIST THAT REQUIRES AMONGOTHER THINGS MASK MANDATES.NO, SIX COUNTIES ARE CALHOUNCOUNTY.HOLMES COUNTY LAMAR COUNTYMONTGOMERY COUNTY WINSTON COUNTYAND YALOBUSHA COUNTY THE LARGESTOF THOSE SIX OBVIOUSLY IS LAMARCOUNTY IN THE MARCHIONE.WE’VE HAD TWO HUNDRED FIFTY FOURCASES OF LAST 14 DAYS THATEXCEEDS ARE VERY OBJECTIVECRITERIA OF 200 CASES OVER 14DAY PERIOD AND HAVE ADDED LAMARCOUNTY.THE OTHER FIVE COUNTIES RSMALLER, OF COURSE, THEN ISLAMAR AND SOME OF THE OTHERCOUNTIES THAT WE HAVE ADDED BUTEVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE FIVEWHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR 14 DAYCOUNTS EXCEEDS 500 CASES PER100,000 RESIDENTS.SO WE HAVE ADDED THOSE SIXCOUNTIES CALHOUN HOMES LAMARMONTGOMERY, WINSTON ANDYALOBUSHA.WE NOW HAVE A TOTAL OF 29COUNTIES THAT HAVE ADDITIONALMEASURES IN PLACE.IN ADDITION TO ADDING THOSE SIXCOUNTIES YOU’RE ALSO GOING TOADD RESTRICTIONS.THE ENTIRE STATE WHICH INCLUDELOWERING OUR CROWD LIMITS FORSOCIAL GATHERINGS STATEWIDE?TO A LIMIT OF 10 PEOPLE INDOORSAND 20 PEOPLE OUTDOORS WE KNOWTHAT IT IS NO SAFER TO THROW APARTY.IN A PARKING LOT.THEN IT IS TO GO TO A BAR.WE JUST CAN’T BE ALLOWING THATTO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.BECAUSE IT IS A DEATH SENTENCEFOR MANY WHO COME IN CONTACTWITH THOSE WHO ARE PARTYING.IT MAY NOT BE A DISTANCE FORTHOSE WHO COME IN IMMEDIATECONTACT WITH THEM, BUT WHEN THEYGO BACK OUT INTO SOCIETY WHENTHEY GO BACK INTO THEIR HOMES,AND THEY TAKE IT TO THEIR MOMSOR THEIR DADS.ARE THEIR GRANDMOM’S OF THEGRANDDAD’S.CAN BE A DEATH SENTENCE.EITHER FOR THEIR MOMS ORGRANDMA’S OR IF THEIR MOMS ANDGRANDMOM’S ARE GRANDDAD’S WORKIN OUR LONG-TERM CAREFACILITIES.IT CAN BE A DEATH SENTENCE FORTHE ONES THAT THEY SPREAD IT,TOO.STATEWIDE FOR THOSE VENUES THATDO NOT OTHERWISE HAVELIMITATIONS.AND SO THESE ARE FOR SOCIALGATHERINGS.MAINLY PARTIES THROWN AT YOURHOUSE OR OTHER PLACES IS NOWLIMITED TO TEN INDOORS AND 20OUTDOORS STATEWIDE.IN ADDITION TO THAT WE KNOW THATWE’VE SEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT.OF SPREAD IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BYFAR THE GROUP DRIVING THESEHIGHER NUMBERS.WE KNOW.IS PEOPLE IN THEIR 20S?I’VE BEEN TALKING FOR AT LEAST AWEEK ABOUT WANTING TO DOSOMETHING TO CURB THE SPREADAMONGST YOUNG FOLKS.ARE GOING TO BARS.AND MAKING CARELESS DECISIONS ITAKE NO GREAT PLEASURE INANNOUNCING THIS BUT I THINK IT’SCRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND INTALKING TO DR. BURKE’S AND HERTEAM ON THE WHITE HOUSE GROUNDSVIRUS TASK FORCE.AND LOOKING AT STATES LIKE TEXASAND FLORIDA WHERE THEY HAVECOMPLETELY SHUT DOWN BARS.I’VE MADE THE DECISION TO TOSIGN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER.MISSISSIPPI OUR BARS MUST LOOKMORE LIKE RESTAURANTS.AND LESS LIKE MOBS OF COVID-19SPREAD.UNDER THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER.BARS IN MISSISSIPPI FREESTANDINGBARS AND THOSE ATTACHED TORESTAURANTS WILL STILL BEGOVERNED BY THE 50% CAPACITYRESTRICTION.BUT WILL NOW BE REQUIRED TO HAVEPEOPLE BE SEATED TO SELLALCOHOL.YOU CAN SAFELY SIT WITH A FEWCLOSE FRIENDS AT A TABLE.LONG AS THAT TABLE IS SOCIALLYDISTANCED.AND YOU’RE NOT IN A GROUP OFMORE THAN 10.YOU CANNOT SAFELY CROWD UP BYTHE BAR AND MIX WITH LOTS ANDLOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE.IN ADDITION TO THAT WE WILL ALSOENSURE THERE WILL BE A CUT OFFFOR ALCOHOL SALES.11:00 P.M.

BECAUSE WE KNOW THATTHAT’S WHEN THESE CROWDSPRIMARILY OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROWSOCIAL DISTANCING OUT THEWINDOW.WE WILL NOT ALLOW SALES OFALCOHOL.IN BARS AROUND MISSISSIPPIBETWEEN THE HOURS OF 11:00 P.M.AND SEVEN A.M.

WE BELIEVE THATTHESE MEASURES WILL ALLOW.FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO REMAINOPEN HOPEFULLY TO DO SO IN A WAYIN WHICH THEY CAN CONTINUE TOOPERATE.CONTINUE TO PAY THE BILLS.BUT ALSO WHILE LIMITING THESPREAD OF THIS VIRUS WE ARE OVER1,600 NEW CASES TODAY.AND THAT IS A NUMBER AS WE’VETALKED ABOUT.THIS SIMPLY NOT SUSTAINABLE?IT PUSHES US TOWARDS ALMOST SIXTHOUSAND NEW CASES.JUST SHY OF SIX THOUSAND NEWCASES IN THE DAYS ALONE.WE HAVE TO DO THINGS A LITTLEBIT DIFFERENTLY?WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO MAKESACRIFICES AS A STATE AND AS APEOPLE.WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO WEAR AMASK IN PUBLIC.WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO CHANGE.THE WAY IN WHICH WE DO THINGS.WE CAN’T GO BACK TO LIFE.AS NORMAL A YEAR AGO AND WHILE IHAVE NO REASON TO BE HAPPY ATALL ABOUT ANY OF THIS.I DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE WILL NOWTAKE THEM STRICTER MEASURES THATARE IN PLACE.AND HERE TO HIM.WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.AT THIS TIME, I’M GOING TO ASK.DR. DOBBS TO PLEASE GIVE US ANUPDATE ON OUR NUMBERS.THANK YOU GOVERNOR TODAY.WE’RE REPORTING 1610 NEWCORONAVIRUS CASES AND SADLY 28ADDITIONAL DEATHS WILL BE ADDEDTO THE DEATH TOLL IF WE LOOK ATHOW MISSISSIPPI STANDS IN THENATION.AMONG US STATES WHERE NUMBERNINE IN PER CAPITA CASES IN THELAST SEVEN DAYS.SO WE’RE MISSISSIPPI IS ONE OFTHE LEADING STATES IN THECOUNTRY AS FAR AS CORONAVIRUSGOES AND IN THE SOUTHEAST WHERELED ONLY BY LOUISIANA ANDFLORIDA IF WE LOOK AT OURHOSPITAL UTILIZATION WE CONTINUETO HAVE ISSUES WITH BEDAVAILABILITY.WE CONTINUE TO SEE INCREASINGNUMBERS OF CORONAVIRUS CASES IFWE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OFPATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITHCORONAVIRUS, WE HAVE 975 AS OFYESTERDAY, WHICH IS ABOUT 100MORE THAN IT WAS A WEEK AGO.WE HAVE 279 PATIENTS IN ICU.AND THEN AS I MENTIONED AS ANUPDATE 163 ON VENTILATOR.39 PERCENT OF ALL PATIENTS ININTENSIVE CARE OR CORONAVIRUSPATIENTS AND 36 PERCENT OF ALLPATIENTS ON ON MECHANICALVENTILATION ARE CORONAVIRUSCASES.WE TODAY HAVE NINE HOSPITALSMAJOR MEDICAL CENTERS INMISSISSIPPI THAT HAVE ZERO ICUBEDS AVAILABLE.FOR TESTING I WOULD LIKE TO MAKESURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THATTESTING WILL BE AVAILABLETOMORROW.AND ALSO MONDAY, OF COURSE, WEHAVE OUR DAILY TESTING AVAILABLEAT THE AT THE OLD FARMER’SMARKET IN THE WEST STREET INJACKSON SOUTH HAVEN ANDPONTOTOC.THEY’LL BE TESTING LOCATIONSTOMORROW.SO IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS OFCORONAVIRUS OR THINK THAT YOUMIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED WEENCOURAGE YOU TO GET TESTEDEITHER THROUGH YOUR REGULARCLINIC PHYSICIAN, OR PLEASE USEONE OF THESE NO COST CLINICSTHAT ARE SPONSORED BY THEDEPARTMENT OF HEALT MEMA ANDTHE NATIONAL GUARD AND ON MONDAYWE HAVE TESTING CLINICS AGAIN INJACKSON AS NORMAL AND THEN NEWHULKA AND CLARKSDALE.THE ONLY THING THAT I’D LIKE TOMENTION IS THAT WE DO HAVEPROVISIONS AVAILABLE FOR NURSINGHOMES TO ALLOW OUTDOORVISITATION IF THERE ARE CERTAINPARAMETERS MET SUCH AS NOONGOING OUTBREAKS OR CASES ATTHE FACILITY.SO IF YOU’VE BEEN WANTING TO SEEYOUR LOVED ONE, PLEASE CONTACTTHE HOME AND LET THEM AND SEE IFTHEY ARE ARE ELIGIBLE FOROUTDOOR VISITATION.WE KNOW THAT A PEOPLE WANT TOSEE THE LOVED ONES AND WE HAVESOME GUIDELINES THAT HOPEFULLYWILL MAKE THAT AS SAFE ASPOSSIBLE.THANK YOU GOVERNOR.THAT’S ALL I HAVE THIS TIME.I’LL TURN IT OVER TO DIRECTORMICHELLE.JUST A COUPLE QUICK THINGS.NUMBER ONE.JUST A REMINDER TO EVERYONE THATAS WE RAPIDLY APPROACHED THEBEGINNING OF APPLICATIONS BEINGOPEN FOR OUR COUNTY MUNICIPALITYCARE ZACH REIMBURSEMENT.FEMA WILL BE OFFERING WEBINARSNEXT WEEK TO HELP ASSISTCOUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WITHBETTER UNDERSTANDING THE PUBLICASSISTANCE.AVAILABLE AT FEMA THAT WILLBEGIN KICK OFF ON MONDAY, ANDTHEY WILL BE A CLASS EACH DAY UPUNTIL FRIDAY THOSE LINKS FORTHOSE ZOOM WEBINARS WILL BEAVAILABLE AT MY WEBSITE AT MSMA.ORG.AND AS WELL IF YOU CANNOT MAKETHE TIMED SCHEDULED ZOOMMEETINGS, THERE ARE YOUTUBEVIDEOS AVAILABLE FOR YOU TO USEAND VIEW AT YOUR LEISURE ANDTHEN FINALLY JUST TROPICALUPDATE FOR SYSTEMS OUT THERE ONEOFF IN THE PACIFIC THATOBVIOUSLY WILL NOT AFFECT US.IT’S THREATENING.HAWAIIAN ISLANDS YOU DO HAVEHANNAH THAT IS RAPIDLYAPPROACHING JUST OFF THE COASTOF TEXAS THAT WILL BE DUMPING ALOT OF RAIN THIS WEEKEND DOWN ONTHE LOWER SOUTHERN PORTIONS OFTHE STATE TROPICAL STORM.GONZALO’S THE ONE THAT WE’REWATCHING INTENTLY TO SEE WHATIT’S GOING TO DO OVER THE COURSEOF THE NEXT FEW DAYS AT HIS ANDAS IT ENTERS THE CARIBBEAN BASINEARLY NEXT WEEK, AND THEN THEREIS A FOURTH SYSTEM THAT WE’REWATCHING JUST OFF THE COAST OFAFRICA RIGHT NOW IS TROPICALWAVE ANYBODY’S GUESS BUT JUST AREMINDER.WE ARE IN HURRICANE SEASON PAYATTENTION AND REMEMBER WHATWE’VE TOLD YOU ABOUT TALKING TO.IN THE SHELTER’S GOVERNOR’S ALLI HAVE TODAY, SIR.THANK YOU DIRECTOR MICHELLE ATTHIS TIME.I’LL OPEN FLOOR TO QUESTIONS.CORY IN YOU CAN CONTINUEWATCHING THE GOVERNOR’S COVID-19RESPONSE ON ME-TV AT SIXTEENPOINT TWO AND ON OUR WEBSITERIGHT NOW AT WAPT.COM WHERE WEARE STREAMING IT LIVE AND TODAYTHE GOVERNOR ADDED SIX MORECOUNTIES TO THE COUNTIES INMISSISSIPPI UNDER THOSEADDITIONAL COVID-19RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING MASKMANDATES.THOSE COUNTIES ARE CALHOUN HOMESLAMAR MONTGOMERY WINSTON ANDYALOBUSHA COUNTY.THERE ARE NOW 99 COUNTIES UNDERTHOSE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONSHINES MADISON RANKIN AND SIMPSONCOUNTIES CONTINUE TO BE IN THATGROUP ALSO TODAY THE GOVERNORADDING RESTRICTIONS FOR THEENTIRE STATE LOWERING CROWDLIMITS STATEWIDE TO 10 PEOPLEINDOORS AND TWENTY PEOPLEOUTDOORS.HE SAYS THE GROUP DRIVING THEHIGHER NUMBERS OF COVID-19 CASESIN MISSISSIPPI RIGHT NOW PEOPLEIN THEIR 20S, SO THE GOVERNORHAS MADE THE DECISION THAT QUOTEBARS MUST LOOK MORE LIKERESTAURANTS TO STOP THE SPREADOF THIS VIRUS.HE SAYS HE’S SIGNING A NEWEXECUTIVE.ORDER BARS IN MISSISSIPPI, THEYWILL NOW BE REQUIRED TO HAVEPEOPLE SEATED TO BE SERVEDALCOHOL.PLUS THE STATE WILL NOT ALLOWALCOHOL SALES IN BARS BETWEENTHE HOURS OF 11:00 P.M.

AND 7A.M.

ALSO BARS AND RESTAURANTSCONTINUE TO BE LIMITED