As the state of Mississippi prepares to reopen slowly under a new executive order by Gov. Tate Reeves, Greenwood and Leflore County will continue to enforce their own social restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After three weeks of a statewide shelter-in-place order, Reeves announced on Friday a less restrictive order that will allow more businesses to open. It will take effect at 8 a.m. Monday and last for two weeks.
Greenwood Mayor Carolyn McAdams said the city’s daily curfew from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., its ban of nonessential social gatherings of more than 10 people, its closure of all city parks and its limitations on the number of customers at large stores in town will continue. “Nothing has changed on that note,” she said. “When it comes to our citizens, we’ve got to take care of them.”
In Greenwood, no more than 125 customers are allowed at one time inside Greenwood Market Place, Save A Lot, Big Star and Dirt Cheap.
At Walmart, no more than 175 customers are allowed in at once. That store’s limit was initially set at 125 as well, but McAdams has raised it twice to account for its large floor space.
The city’s restrictions will remain in place until the numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths begin to level off, the mayor said.
McAdams and other municipal mayors throughout the state had a conference call with the governor before he publicly announced his new order.
Robert Collins, president of the Leflore County Board of Supervisors, said the board will vote on its social restriction guidelines when it meets Monday afternoon.
Collins said the supervisors will meet in person rather than online. The board will take precautionary steps by limiting the gathering to fewer than 10 people in the room, he said.
Among the guidelines the board may consider is extending the county’s 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, which Collins said he believes expires April 30, and extending restrictions at the courthouse by requiring people to make appointments before visiting.
“There’s no reason to lighten up,” Collins said, citing the county’s number of confirmed cases and deaths attributed to COVID-19, which continue to rise.
Collins said he’d like to have the county’s social restrictions run concurrently with those of the city of Greenwood.
There have been 124 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 14 deaths in Leflore County, according to a Friday morning update by the Mississippi State Department of Health. Leflore County has the second-highest number of deaths in the state.
Statewide there have been 5,434 cases of COVID-19 and 209 deaths.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
Under Reeves’ order, non-essential retail businesses such as clothing and shoe stores will be allowed to reopen to customers. However, a store must practice social distancing by serving no more than 50% of its capacity.
Other non-essential businesses, such as beauty parlors, barber shops, gyms, museums and movie theaters, will remain closed.
Both McAdams and Collins said they would like residents to wear masks or other mouth coverings when out in public.
The two also complimented the governor for his handling of the pandemic.
“I appreciate what Gov. Reeves is doing. He’s taking the responsible action of opening the state of Mississippi slowly instead of one big bang,” the mayor said.
McAdams acknowledged the frustration many residents may be dealing with, including herself, with regards to the social restriction measures.
Still, she said, people must follow the rules in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus. If they do, it’s possible some restrictions could be lifted, she said.
• Contact Gerard Edic at 581-7239 or gedic@gwcommonwealth.com.
