Retailers re-opening their doors to customers under safer-at-home order

As of this morning, many retailers across Mississippi that have been shut down for weeks due to the COVID-19 crisis can re-open their doors to customers.

Gov. Tate Reeves announced Friday that he was replacing the statewide shelter-in-place order with a slightly looser safer-at-home order.

“This is not a return to normal,” the governor said. “I know one day we will [return to normal], today is not that day.”

The new order allows most retail stores to re-open to walk-in shopping, but with a few restrictions. Stores must limit the numbers of people at any given time to 50% capacity to promote adequate social distancing, frequently clean high-contact surfaces such as counters, door handles and credit card machines, and are urged to make hand sanitizers available to all shoppers as they enter. Reeves also encouraged stores and shoppers to wear masks.

The order also allows health-care facilities and dentists to resume offering elective procedures and surgeries as approved by the Mississippi State Department of Health but continues to restrict visitors to hospitals.

Many things remain as they were under the shelter-in-place order. For example:

• Gatherings of more than 10 people continue to be banned.
• Restaurants and bars will remain open, but are limited to curbside, drive-thru and delivery service.
• Businesses that cannot avoid close contact, including barbershops, hair and nail salons, gyms and spas will remain closed.

The safer-at-home order continues to ask people to stay home if possible, especially those over 65 or with underlying health conditions, and asks Mississippians to limit travel to essential activities. It also continues to ask businesses to allow their employees to work from home if possible.

Read the safer-at-home order here.

Read the Vicksburg proclamation.

The safer-at-home order went into effect at 8 a.m., Monday, April 27, and ends Monday, May 11, at 8 a.m.