Thread by @ashtonpittman

NEW: Mississippi's pandemic death toll surpassed 10,000, with 1 of every 296 residents now dead of COVID-19.

But Gov. Tate Reeves says he's "done it right because we focused not only on saving lives, but also on protecting livelihoods."
mississippifreepress.org/17235/mississi…

As Mississippi grows its lead as the state with the most COVID-19 deaths relative to population size, Gov. Reeves boasts that Mississippi's “economy is roaring because we’ve refused to let fear & pressure dominate our COVID response.”

But is it?👇🏻
mississippifreepress.org/17235/mississi…

"MISSISSIPPI IS THE ROADMAP TO FREEDOM & PROSPERITY," read the Fox News chyron.

While Mississippi’s GDP returned to its pre-recession GDP before the nation, its unemployment rate is a point higher than the nation & remains above the pre-COVID average.
mississippifreepress.org/17235/mississi…

Mississippi's official COVID-19 death toll is now 10,004.

It's likely thousands higher.

At least 14,334 more Mississippians have died of all causes since the pandemic began than would have been expected based on the 2017-2019 average.
mississippifreepress.org/17235/mississi…

In August, Gov. Reeves said Mississippians are less scared of COVID-19 than other Americans because most follow the Christian faith.

"When you believe that living on this earth is but a blip on the screen, then you don’t have to be so scared of things.”
mississippifreepress.org/15321/mississi…

The 1918 Great Influenza pandemic killed 9,234 Mississippians.

Adjusted for population size, though, the 1918 pandemic killed 14,390 Mississippians.

Mississippi's excess death toll for 2020-2021 now stands at 14,334.
mississippifreepress.org/17235/mississi…

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