Governor Reeves speaks out on Covid

Today number of reported COVID cases increased to now over 5,000 cases being reported in a single day according to MSDN. That jump from Tuesday, which broke the record, is over 2,000 more cases than Tuesday reported with 31 deaths. The state of Mississippi could very well be in a crisis and hospitals on the brink of failure.

Governor Tate Reeves and State Health Officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs held a press conference to give a response to what the plan is to combat this matter.

“We are headed towards a new peak and there are a number of challenges that lie ahead; however we must continue to focus and we must continue to remain calm. Moving forward with logic, with reason, and by following the data. I ask all Mississippians to do the same. We will get through this new onslaught of COVID just as we gotten through the three previous waves, but we must all do our part so we can get back to some sort of normalcy." - Governor Reeves

Governor Reeves is basing hospital matters on an insufficient number of staff available. Through RFQ Reeves has requested that several staff be brought in to help fill the roles that Mississippi hospitals are missing

Screenshot from MSDH Twitter account.

“We have requested staffing. Our challenge is much less about the physicality of beds or the physical aspect of ICU beds and it's much more about actually staffing them. I have been advised that Mississippi hospitals have lost some of 2,000 healthcare professionals, nurses, etc within the last year. It is staffing shortages that we are having to address. We have requested through this RGQ some 73 hospitals having input. We have requested 65 physicians, 920 nurses, 41 CRNA 59 advanced practice nurses, 34 physician assistants, 239 respiratory technicians, and 20 EMT paramedics.” -Governors Reeves

Reeves says that if this request is granted then it would open up 771 med surge beds 235 ICE beds not currently staffed. He hopes to be putting staff on the ground within the next seven days.

Reeves says he has no intention of issuing a mask mandate

Updates on reported COVID cases will continue as information becomes available.