Statewide mask mandate expires today

Gov. Tate Reeves’ executive order mandating masks for all Mississippians is scheduled to expire Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Reeves first ordered masks to be worn statewide Aug. 4 for two weeks, and then extended the order several times, the last time on Sept. 13.

Each subsequent order loosened COVID-19 restrictions a bit more.

Since a peak of cases and deaths this summer, the numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Mississippi had been coming down steadily until the last couple of weeks where numbers have been relatively flat.

It is not clear whether the governor will extend the mandate further. No formal announcement of a news conference has been made at this writing, but expect him to hold a news conference Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.

Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. has announced a news conference Friday at 2:30 p.m.