Mississippi Edition

Governor Tate Reeves continues to plead with Mississippians to take the coronavirus seriously as more businesses are set to reopen today..

And the coronavirus has upended the travel industry. Hotels are vacant, festivals and events are cancelled. We hear from tourism experts in the state about steps being taken to lure visitors back.

Then, we hear how medical students are using their knowledge to volunteer to help health care workers during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Segment 1:

Starting today, barbershops, salons and gyms across the state can reopen. This is the latest executive order signed by Governor Tate Reeves-- to gradually remove restrictions he has set in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. While some businesses are reopening, the Governor says Mississippians must continue taking precautions against this highly contagious virus. Governor Reeves says after consulting with state health officials he is laying out strict social distancing guidelines and sanitation protocols for the businesses to reopen. For salons and barbershops--those guidelines include --face coverings for all employees who come in direct contact with customers. All waiting areas are to remain closed and customers must wait in their vehicles until their appointment time. For gyms ---all high touch areas must be sanitized at least once every two hours and no more than 30 percent of the gym’s maximum capacity is to be utilized. With more than 200 thousand Mississippians unemployed, Governor Reeves says he’s trying to avoid another Great Depression.

Segment 2:

The COVID-19 pandemic has halted Mississippi’s growing tourism industry — but communities across the state are coming up with new ways to attract visitors until travel is possible again. MPB’s Alexandra Watts reports.

Segment 3:

The COVID-19 pandemic has moved the education of medical students at the University of Mississippi Medical Center online. Since mid-March, clinical rotations for medical students have been suspended. The goal was to protect the safety of students and patients, and to reduce community spread. To help during the crisis, more than 350 of them are now volunteering throughout Mississippi. Ashley Brown is a fourth year medical student, who will start her residency next year at the Blair E. Batson Children’s hospital. Ezekiel Gonzalez is a MD---PH-D candidate at the University of Mississippi Medical Center---where he is working on his medical degree and PH-D simultaneously.  Gonzalez, who's in his fifth year of medical school is chair of the Covid 19 student volunteer response team. He’s assigned to the Medical Center’s drive through testing site at the Fairgrounds in Jackson. They both talk with our Desare Frazier.