Mississippi extends mask mandate, other limits, by 2 weeks
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Monday that he is extending a statewide mask mandate and most other restrictions another two weeks to try to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.
He made a single change — eliminating a cap of two spectators per participant at high school sports events. Reeves said a limit of 25% capacity remains in place for stadiums, gyms, and other venues, and people should maintain social distance from those who are not in their immediate families.
As the University of Southern Mississippi prepares to host its first home football game on Thursday, Reeves said his prohibition on tailgating at college games also remains in place at least two more weeks.
“I’d rather be in the South where we can’t have tailgating, where we have rules in place but we are going to have football, than to be in the Pac-12 where they’re not even going to have football,” Reeves said.
Both Reeves and the state epidemiologist, Dr. Paul Byers, urged Mississippi residents to continue to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19 during the Labor Day weekend. Mississippi saw an increase in virus cases after people had gatherings during the Memorial Day weekend and July 4.
During a news conference Monday in Jackson, Republican Reeves also responded to questions about photos that showed him without a mask at the White House last week when President Donald Trump accepted his party’s nomination during the Republican National Convention. Reeves posted photos of himself and his wife, Elee, wearing Trumpthemed masks at the event, but others photographed the governor bare-faced and sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with other people.