COVID-19 April 4 Update

What is allowed and what is NOT allowed under the shelter-in-place order?

• The order went into effect Friday night at 5:00 p.m. and will stay in effect until Monday April 20 at 8:00 a.m.
• In our Thursday update, we gave a good rule of thumb, and we will reiterate that here: THE BOTTOM LINE – AVOID GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
  • If you can engage in the activity in question and avoid coming into contact with other people, then you can do it.
  • If you cannot engage in the activity in question without coming into contact with other people, then you cannot do it.
• For those who have been following these guidelines since this crisis began, this shelter-inplace order will not make any difference in the way you have been living.
• For those who have not been abiding by these guidelines, you are going to have to change the way you have been living.
  • You MUST avoid groups of 10 or more.
  • You have to stay home unless it is absolutely necessary to get out.
• Our health professionals are very serious when they tell us this virus is dangerous and that to prevent the spread of it we MUST stay away from groups of 10 or more.
• The way you conduct yourself could be a deciding factor in whether someone lives or dies – for the sake of your family, your friends, your neighbors, and yourself, please adhere to the shelter-in-place order and avoid groups of people.

Unemployment claims

• We’ve had excellent feedback from our interview with Jackie Turner regarding the filing of unemployment claims. We even noticed that one television station in Jackson aired segments of the interview during their news broadcast last night.
• We believe we answered the most pressing questions during that interview, and we invite you to watch it on our Facebook page. This video is a resource to better help guide you through the claims process and hopefully answer your questions.
• Unfortunately, time did not permit us to answer all the questions, especially those that pertained to individual, unique situations.
• However, I have instructed my staff to get answers to all of your questions and let you know what the answer is. Therefore, this will be an ongoing conversation with Jackie and her staff to get you the answers you need.
• Our goal is to provide the most accurate, important and helpful information as it pertains to each individual case. We appreciate your patience as we try to address each case thoroughly.
• Please follow up with my staff if you have not received an answer this week.

Update on number of cases.

• 97 new cases reported yesterday.
• Total cases statewide now number 1455.
• Unfortunately, we now have 35 deaths.
• 30 long-term care facilities around the state report active cases.

Call if you need help.

• We have had phone calls to our office forwarded to our staff. If you need any help at all, please call us at 601-359-3300.
• We have also set up an email address for you to ask questions or seek help. That address is [email protected].