Birx acknowledged Oxford as one of the top U.S. cities for new cases per head while on a campus tour. Birx acknowledged that while the college town effect, where the majority of the population is composed of students, can affect the rate, it is good that the university is finding those cases. Birx stated that she is confident that the university has found cases. Birx stated, “We’re confident that the university is finding cases.” She said that social distancing and masks are effective, encouraging South governors to continue to work to reverse the trend over the summer. The latest executive order from Mississippi requiring masks and restricted crowds will expire Monday. Governor Tate Reeves said last week that the mandates won’t be completely dropped, but restrictions may loosen. Mississippi is one of few Southern states that still has a statewide mandate for masks. Birx stated however that it is a part of many metrics that have led to Mississippi being removed from the “red zone” risk list by the federal taskforce. She also stated that 60 of the state’s 82 counties had test positive rates exceeding 10% eight weeks ago. Only 23 of the state’s 82 counties have positive test rates above 10% now. Based on the task force’s metrics that only count labs that consistently report both positive and negative results, the state has seen its positivity rate drop by half. Six months after the outbreak in Mississippi, cases have fallen back to mid-June when they started to rise. Despite improvements over the last few weeks, Mississippi’s new death per capita is still the highest in the country, with August seeing the most deaths per month to date. Birx turned her attention to college campuses and advised them to have a plan, but to be flexible. Birx said that university leaders should be flexible and have a plan in place for when an outbreak occurs. This will allow continuity of care and behavior changes. She also spoke directly with students, saying that she observed most students wearing masks while parents did not. She advised students to sign up for new surveillance testing, which looks for those with the virus without symptoms. Officials at the university announced Saturday that they will be launching wider surveillance testing, with a capacity of 500 students per week. Birx stated that it is crucial to conduct asymptomatic surveillance testing at universities, especially since many students don’t have symptoms. The university currently publishes a daily dashboard that includes case and other surveillance metrics. However, it does not include the number of tests performed. In recent weeks, the number of daily tests has declined across the state as have the cases. As fewer patients present with symptoms, diagnostic tests will likely decline. However, health experts recommend random surveillance testing to detect and prevent asymptomatic spread. Birx stated, “I want every student to be clear: We know that you are not deliberately transmitting the virus. You don’t know that you have it. But, I believe it is important for them to understand that you can become infected and not know it. And eventually, it can spread to someone who’s vulnerable and can have a negative outcome.” “Students can help get this information across,” Birx said. She briefly spoke about college football and stated that she believes it can be safely played if teams follow strict policies to prevent spread. She did not address the issue of large crowds at these games. Thomas Dobbs, the State Health Officer, has warned repeatedly that college football poses more risks than the sport itself. However, it is important to consider the impact on the surrounding communities. Officials said that the university’s contact tracing team has traced most cases back to off-campus social gatherings and has quarantined approximately 400 students. Birx’s 20-minute press conference was primarily meant to encourage. She repeatedly stressed the power of officials using messaging to reach people wherever they are. She said that the entire South has shown us how to move forward with this virus. What Mississippi has done in just four to five weeks shows us that if people change their behavior, if they wear their masks, if they social distance, and if they wash out their hands, there is a path forward that keeps schools, universities, and retail open. It’s us all working together to protect our communities and each other.