Nearly half a million people typically attend the Mississippi State Fair, and despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic officials say attendance could remain high. Recently, Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson changed the policy on mask-wearing at the fair, saying it will be optional, but recommended. To help mitigate the spread of the virus, Gipson says admission will be limited and social distancing will be enforced. "Law enforcement has drones that will be watching the Fairgrounds from a security standpoint, and one of the things we'll be watching for is making sure people are not clumping up, you know not getting up into everybody's face together," says Gipson. "If we see something like that we'll send some officers in and politely ask people to keep social distancing. In the open air, that's the key to separating and stopping the transmission of this virus."
Gipson says the fair typically draws 80 million dollars in economic development, which doesn't include the impact on local businesses. Jackson's Mayor says he's grateful for the economic benefits of the fair but says he's concerned that coronavirus transmission could threaten the health of Jackson Residents. Dr. LouAnne Woodward, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, says this could be a super-spreader event, and following the guidelines set up could be difficult. "I certainly hope that everybody puts the effort in and does all the things that they need to do," says Woodward. "I'm thankful that it's outside, but I also just worry about the ability in that kind of setting to really monitor, and to clean and to sanitize."
The fair will open tonight, and continue through the 18th.
