Reeves: Mississippi ‘calmly dealing’ with COVID despite ‘angry rhetoric’

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves comments on private businesses finally getting past some of the...
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves comments on private businesses finally getting past some of the COVID pandemic restrictions as they return to a degree of normalcy with the holding of the Mississippi Economic Council's annual meeting in-person under a new state flag, Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)(Rogelio V. Solis | AP)
Published: Aug. 11, 2021 at 1:08 PM CDT
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JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is lashing out at the “angry rhetoric” over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mississippi as cases continue to skyrocket.

“I want you to know what our team is doing on behalf of our fellow Mississippians,” the message starts.

Reeves says he and his team are not panicking.

“We are calmly making decisions based on the best available data to manage the situation and mitigate its impact on our people.”

Reeves says his top goal, as he’s said in the past, is to mitigate the impact on the state’s healthcare system.

This comes as ICU beds are full, healthcare workers are describing the trauma they are experiencing, and hospitals are begging the governor for more help.

COVID-19 cases have reached new heights with the Delta variant’s surge over the last month. Daily case totals have surpassed 3,000 multiple times in the past week, and hospitalizations are at their highest point since January and still rising.

7,710 Mississippians have died of COVID-19, with 25 new deaths reported Wednesday.

Reeves, in part, blames a labor shortage for the struggle of hospitals in the state.

“Some hospitals lost staff because they laid off employees that never came back. Some staff left due to administrative decisions (such as mandating vaccines). But the reason for the shortage can be debated in the future…..the task at hand is to help backfill these vacancies to protect the integrity of our healthcare system,” Reeves wrote.

He goes on to list a number of ways the Mississippi Department of Health and Mississippi Emergency Management Agency are coping with the influx of patients.

This includes limiting elective surgeries, adding ICU capacity and requesting additional personnel.

“As you can see, in spite of the angry rhetoric coming from so many, our emergency management team is doing what it does - we are calmly dealing with an ever-changing environment to meet the needs of Mississippi,” Reeves wrote.

He also says his team is discussing options regarding a State of Emergency but was non-committal on whether or not it would be extended.

The post ends with a prayer request, telling Mississippians to do what’s best for their family, and “ignore all the irrational folks.”

Meanwhile, Neshoba County leads the nation in COVID-19 rate and Mississippi is the second-least vaccinated state in the nation.

Friends – (hint: this is one of the long ones) – I want you to know what our team is doing on behalf of our fellow...

Posted by Tate Reeves on Wednesday, August 11, 2021

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