Thompson urges governor to re-implement statewide mask mandate

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Amid rising COVID-19 cases, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) is asking Governor Tate Reeves to re-implement a statewide mask mandate.

In an open letter Thompson posted on Twitter, the congressman urged Reeves to issue a mandate “for all unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals in all indoor settings, including schools.”

The news comes days after Reeves again said he had “no intention” of issuing a statewide mask mandate, and as individual school districts step in to put their own mandates in place.

He also urged the governor to “take full advantage of federal resources that have been made available to states to fight COVID-19 by making vaccines more accessible to underserved areas, and urging all eligible Mississippians to get vaccinated.”

The letter was also sent to State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs. Last week, Dobbs re-issued an order mandating fines and jail time for those who fail to self-isolate after being diagnosed with the virus.

“Mississippi has the second-most COVID-19 cases in the nation and the most deaths per 100,000 people. The state ranks third-highest in hospitalizations and has the second-lowest vaccinate rate in the country, with only 36 percent of the population fully vaccinated,” he wrote. “I implore you, as Governor, to do more to address this dire situation.”

JUST IN: Chairman @BennieGThompson sent a letter to Gov. @tatereeves to express his grave concern with the rise of COVID-19 cases in Mississippi and to urge him to use all available resources to protect the lives of Mississippians.

Read it here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/LoaSZsInEn
— House Homeland Security Committee (@HomelandDems) August 20, 2021