Doctors ask "What would you do to save 1000 lives?" as Mississippi coronavirus cases surge

by

kobee vance

• Published on December 7, 2020 • Last modified on December 5, 2020 • Comments

State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs
AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis

Mississippi’s health officials are asking residents “What would you do to save 1000 lives?” Around 4000 Mississippians have died from the coronavirus. Experts predict the virus will continue to get worse if habits do not change.

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Daily coronavirus reports are overwhelming Mississippi’s data reporting system, and health officials say the spread of the virus is growing. The holiday season is here, and State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs is pleading with residents to keep celebrations to just nuclear families. “Help us get 1000 people across the finish line. Work with us to help more police survive this so that they can see 2021 and 2022,” says Dr. Dobbs. “All of these people who are dying every day are dying from COVID-19, and they wouldn’t have to die except for COVID-19. And the simplest thing and the most important thing especially around the holidays is to celebrate and enjoy it with your household and your nuclear family.”

State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers says if every Mississippian followed this public health guidance, coronavirus case numbers in the state could drop from last week’s high of 2000 new cases per day to just 200. “If folks could really help us out by working hard to reduce the case counts and reduce the deaths now, that’s going to allow us to continue to put our maximum efforts into the vaccine and getting that out.”

Doctors ask this holiday season to give someone the gift of life by wearing a mask, social distancing, and avoiding social gatherings.