Reeves stated that he is forming a multi-agency task force to prepare the state for COVID-19 detection in Mississippi. Reeves stated that Mississippi residents have the highest priority. We are taking the coronavirus threat seriously. We are now taking immediate action–ahead any confirmed cases—-to ensure that we are prepared for any scenario. Mississippi’s state leaders and experts have been brought together to improve and prepare for any situation. Dobbs stated that the coronavirus could be “the pandemic scenario of this generation” but added that the Department of Health is ready to handle the disease if it does. Dobbs stated that the Department of Health has prepared a 450-page pandemic response strategy. “Based on the triggers, we will go ahead and ramp up,” Dobbs stated. He believes Mississippi will have the necessary test kits to determine if anyone is suffering from the coronavirus. Dobbs stated that the test kits will be made available to doctors commercially in the next weeks. Although he said that so far, only 10 people have been tested, he promised that more would be tested. Dobbs stated that the steering committee “allows” us to bring together all of the resources of the state government to meet the needs of Mississippians. Officials from the University of Mississippi Medical Centre, which is the only state academic medical center, also said they have been working closely with the Department of Health. “We have been working closely together with the state Department of Health since Day One to prepare The Medical Center to identify and screen patients that are positive for COVID-19,” stated Dr. Jonathan Wilson (UMMC’s chief administrator) in an emailed reply. “Almost all Mississippi acute care hospitals have the ability to treat a new coronavirus patient. We are working with MSDH to coordinate our efforts to prepare all Mississippi hospitals for a new coronavirus patient. Visit the Department of Health website at www.msdh.ms.gov for more information about how to fight the coronavirus. You can call 877-978-64553 during weekdays, between 8 and 5 p.m.
to get more information.