Key local players in the battle with the coronavirus met Thursday evening at the Columbia Expo Center to discuss how everything is being handled in Marion County.
As the count from COVID-19 continues to raise across the state, Marion County has been not had a confirmed case as of today.
The total number of cases across the state has increased to 80; one person, a Hancock County man between 60 and 65, has died from the virus.
In adjacent counties, Pearl River has seven identified cases, while Lawrence and Walthall counties have one. Lamar and Jefferson Davis counties currently are like Marion and have no cases.
Dr. Bert Beisel, a family physician at the University of Southern Mississippi and a volunteer with the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department, commended the leadership for taking the proactive steps that have been done. He said he felt like this is putting the county in better shape than a lot of other places because action is being done now in a preventative mode before it becomes a serious situation here.
Emergency Management Director Aaron Greer announced he has forms for small businesses to seek help for lost revenue due to COVID-19 outbreak through the Small Business Administration. Marion County Development Partnership President Lori Watts also said the MCDP has the links available on its website.
Watts said they have put all sorts of links to assist businesses that may be working from home for the first time and other issues.
Greer said he has put in requests for PPE gloves for Marion General Hospital, first responders, fire departments and for the prison.
Greer asked Marion County School Superintendent Wendy Bracey about the status for the schools. Bracey said both West and East Marion schools will be ready Monday to begin the children's feeding program. She also said work is being done to have curriculum enrichments ready to launch on Monday for the students on its website.
Loren Monk, transportation supervisor for the Columbia School District, said the feeding program will also be ready Monday at Columbia Primary School and Columbia High School. He also said staff will be coming in on Monday and Tuesday to get the materials they need for offsite learning. It is set to begin next week.
Columbia Academy Headmaster Angie Burkett said they have offsite packets ready for students to pick up on Monday for kindergarten to 12th grade. Burkett said nothing has been set out from the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (formerly the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools) about school closures so for the time being the decision is being made week to week.
Alania Cedillo, administrator at Marion General Hospital, said right now people are being calm and that it hasn’t been crazy with people coming in scared about COVID-19. She said the hospital does not have a ventilator and is hoping to be able to get one if needed. Greer advised her he had put in an order for extra gloves, swabs and testing kits.
Cedillo said the hospital is on control access, meaning if a minor is hospitalized a parent can be with the child or if there is an elderly patient needing a sitter, the sitter can be there; however, everyone going into the hospital must pass a health screening before entry.
Mayor Justin McKenzie said the city has suspended the renting of public buildings for the time being to prevent mass gatherings, such as family reunions, to adhere to the recommendation of public health officials of having no more than 10 people in a gathering.
City Hall, the police department and the animal control center’s lobbies are closed off.
McKenzie said when police are responding to calls, if possible, the dispatchers are asking people to be waiting for them outside to limit the amount of time an officer is in a confined area.
The mayor said he has been asked about restaurants and if they are going to be shut down. McKenzie said he understands the livelihood of families depends on their businesses. McKenzie is suggesting the restaurants use curbside pickup and drive-through windows.
Fire Chief Jeff McKenzie said the fire department is getting short on gloves and masks.
Dewayne Stuckey with the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department said they are in need of hand sanitizer, and Greer said he would look into it.
Stuckey asked if churches should be holding services. Beisel said a lot of the people attending churches may fall into the vulnerable category. He recommended churches connect with local radios and online services to allow services to carry on without putting anyone at risk.
Discussion was held for the next meeting to be remotely without having to gather everyone together in the same room.
