Thread by @ashtonpittman

NEW: Clothing stores are reopening, restaurant dine-in services are restarting, & churches are meeting again in Moss Point, Mississippi, after Gov. @TateReeves' executive order overrode Mayor Mario King's efforts to combat #COVID19.
Story @MSFreePress: mississippifreepress.com/mississippi-go…

Moss Point Mayor Mario King ordered residents to shelter at home, closing salons, churches, & other "nonessential" businesses. But Gov. Reeves' executive order overruled such local orders by redefining virtually every biz as "essential." #COVID19
Story: mississippifreepress.com/mississippi-go…

As stores & churches are reopening, #COVID19 cases are going UP in Jackson County, where Moss Point is & which has 16 cases (7th highest total in MS), up from 12 yesterday. The state added a record 108 today.

See @wspittman's interactive map at mississippifreepress.com for more.

Gov. Tate Reeves' order overrides *all* #COVID19 local orders that close religious facilities and businesses or organizations that Reeves deems "essential." The catch is that Reeves' order defines virtually every business imaginable as "essential." mississippifreepress.com/mississippi-go…

Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton: “There’s no question that the purpose of (Gov. Tate Reeves' executive order) was to keep businesses open, which is good for the economy. ... The flipside is that it’s doing that at the expense of human lives.” #COVID19
mississippifreepress.com/mississippi-go…

P.S.: Consider following me & @MSFreePress, where you'll see my Mississippi #COVID19 reporting; Follow my husband @wspittman, who is making incredibly useful interactive maps+charts for MFP & @deepsouthvoice (LA+MS+AL+GA+SC maps/charts); & of course follow MFP editor @DonnerKay.

There are 1.7 ICU beds per known #COVID19 case in Mississippi & 710 ICU beds total. But avg occupancy rate=58%, leaving ~392 ICU beds available on avg.

Scarily, @wspittman's map shows that ~¼ of cases are in counties with 0 ICU beds (white on map). Map at mississippifreepress.com