Reeves made the comments during a Facebook live conference where he fielded comments from Mississippians.
Saying that no one at the Mississippi Department of Health has issued a recommendation for a ‘shelter-in-place’ order, Reeves said the state isn’t going to make a quick decision just because other states are doing it. Reeves also said the federal government is not recommending a lockdown.
Last night, Tupelo became the first municipality in the state to issue such an order. The city is requiring all non-essential businesses and all non-essential residents to stay at home. Residents would still be able to travel to the grocery store, medical facilities, restaurants, hardware stores, daycares, and gas stations, among other places.
Similar orders cover the states of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Oregon, as well as a number of large cities nationwide.
The state Department of Health has recommended restaurants close their dining facilities and move to take-out and delivery only. The following local governments have enacted similar restaurant bans: Oxford, Jackson, Tupelo, Moss Point, Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, Houston, Forrest county, Hattiesburg, Columbus, Starkville, Hancock county, Bay St. Louis, Diamondhead, Waveland, Vicksburg, Olive Branch, and Southaven.
A statewide ban is not in place.