Adams County board extends mask mandate

NATCHEZ, Miss. – The Adams County Board of Supervisors extended the local mask mandate through November as the number of COVID cases continues to increase. However, the board was split 3-2 Monday on whether people should be required to wear face coverings in public places or just be encouraged to do so.

The total number of confirmed COVID cases in Adams County surpassed 1,000 last week, according to the state Department of Health’s tally that began in March. At least 1,043 Adams County residents have been diagnosed with the virus as of Sunday – an increase from the 994 cases confirmed through Oct. 10.

As of Sunday, 42 Adams County residents have died since March from the highly contagious respiratory disease, up by two from the previous week.

While the weekly increases of new Adams County cases since Sept. 26 had been about 23 each week, the rise this past week was by nearly 50. There were last week 45 “active” cases of county residents with the coronavirus while 953 are “presumed” recovered, said Adams County Emergency Management Director Brad Bradford.

Adams County is not among the nine Mississippi counties identified Monday as COVID hotspots by Gov. Tate Reeves. He imposed new requirements on their residents to include wearing face coverings at indoor venues where people gather.

Saying he wants “to avoid the heavy hand of government unless it is truly necessary,” the Republican governor did not reimpose the statewide mask mandate he lifted at the end of September.

Adams County Supervisor Wes Middleton said his board colleagues should follow the governor so that people are just “strongly urged” to wear masks in public when they can’t socially distance. Joining Middleton in voting Monday against extending the local face-covering requirement until Nov. 30 was Kevin Wilson. Voting for it were the three other supervisors: Ricky Gray, Angela Hutchins and Warren Gaines.

Gray said elected officials have the responsibility to ensure people are protected from the coronavirus. Face coverings are widely considered the most effective precaution along with social distancing and hand washing.

While the local mask mandate has been in place for Natchez and Adams County since July, its enforcement has been difficult. Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten noted he saw many people not wearing face coverings as they congregated close together at the Natchez Balloon Festival this past weekend.