Mississippi’s mask mandates set to expire Friday

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - There are 78 counties under a mask mandate in Mississippi, however, that order is set to expire Friday at 5 p.m.

It is unclear at this time if Gov. Tate Reeves will extend the order or let it expire.

Gov. Reeves set limits on all, but four counties in the state to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in areas most impacted by the virus. In addition to the mask mandates, he limited social gatherings to 10 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.

The state has seen a recent spike in cases since the mandates were put into place. However, health leaders said they were expecting a surge in cases following the holidays.

Now that the COVID-19 vaccine is available, Gov. Reeves says it’s important to get it out to the public. Earlier this week, he announced that citizens over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions can receive the vaccine.

Health officials continue to encourage people to social distance, wear a mask, and wash their hands to slow the spread of the virus.

It is expected that Gov. Reeves will announce his plans to either extend the mask order or let it expire on Friday. We will provide an update to this story.