Following in Texas' footsteps, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced on Tuesday the reopening of businesses and the lifting of the statewide mask mandate.
"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!" Reeves said on Twitter yesterday.
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
Similarly, he said the same during Tuesday's press announcement.
"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," Reeves said during the press conference.
"I am replacing our current orders with recommendations. Everyone should continue to listen to Dr. Dobbs and other health advisors for the best possible wisdom regarding how you can personally stem any risk of catching COVID," he added. "Their insight is valuable. The only rules that will remain in this order are a capacity limit of 50% on indoor arenas, and those that govern K-12 schools."
Jackson Free Press reported that Reeves encourages, but doesn't require, everyone to wear a face mask and practice social distancing.
"This new order removes our county mask mandates and allows businesses to operate at full capacity without state-imposed rules or restrictions," he stated.
As per Jackson Free Press, K-12 schools in Mississippi will still require face masks when social distancing is not possible. K-12 extracurricular activities and outdoor activities is now allowed to operate at 50% capacity and 25% maximum seating capacity, which for indoor bowl and arena is increased to 50% for seating capacity.
The Gateway Pundit, on the other hand, reported that this is a "domino effect." Reeves' decision follows similar courses of action taken by the states of Florida, Iowa, and Texas, respectively.
"Executive orders that interfered with peoples' lives were the worst, but the only possible, intervention for much of the last year. Now, we are putting our focus towards rapid vaccine distribution. We are getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do," Reeves tweeted also on Tuesday.
"We've been among the 4 or 5 most open states throughout this crisis, and we've been rewarded for it with more jobs and economic recovery," he added. That's not because what we put in place was a light burden. It's only because the rest of the country was so harsh. "That's good, but we need to recognize that none of these orders, in any state, are anything short of unprecedented."
"They have to end at the earliest possible moment. This is that moment for Mississippi," he added.
In his Executive Order 1549, Reeves repealed his previously signed Executive Orders 1535 and 1536 known as the Safe Recovery Order. Executive Order 1549 encourages his constituents to "follow the CDC's and Mississippi State Department of Health's guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19".
This pertains to continuously "wearing a face covering, covering the nose and mouth, while in public spaces whenever it is not possible to maintain social distancing from persons within the same household"; avoiding "large gatherings, particularly indoor gatherings"; "maintain social distancing between persons not in your household," "practice good hand hygiene, incluing washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public space," and "stay home if you feel sick or have any symptoms of COVID-19."
