‘It is time!’ Mississippi governor to end mask mandate & lift all Covid-19 business restrictions, following Texas’ lead

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said he will soon axe the state’s mask mandate and end all coronavirus-related business restrictions, pointing to improved case and hospitalization numbers after Texas took a similar step.

“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,” Reeves said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed. It is time!

The governor said he signed “what I expect will be one of my last executive orders regarding Covid-19” on Tuesday, which will replace the restrictions currently in place with “recommendations” starting Wednesday, with the exception of a rule limiting indoor arenas to 50-percent capacity, as well as restrictions on K-12 schools. 

Reeves nonetheless urged Mississippians to practice social distancing, wear masks and follow other health guidelines amid the pandemic, while State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs said the health department is still “strongly recommending” that those aged 65 and older avoid social gatherings until they receive a vaccine.

Mississippi’s first emergency declaration came on March 14, 2020, days after the state detected its first coronavirus infections, followed by a stay-at-home order on April 2 that shuttered non-essential businesses and left lesser restrictions in place after it expired. Its first mask mandate came in July, and has been applied only to specific counties with rising infection rates.

The announcement closely followed Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s lifting of most coronavirus restrictions across the Lone Star State, allowing businesses to reopen at 100-percent capacity and ending a statewide mask mandate in place since July. 

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