Legislature Struggles With COVID-19 Outbreak, Jackson Drive-Through Finally Opens
The Mississippi Legislature is grappling with yet another outbreak among its members, only a few short weeks into the 2021 session. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann announced on Thursday that two members of the Senate have tested positive for COVID-19. Earlier, House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, acknowledged that one member of the House tested positive. An unknown number of lawmakers across both chambers are now in isolation after exposure to their infected colleagues.
This morning, the House passed a resolution allowing for virtual quorum, meaning legislators may Zoom in to discuss bills and pass legislation, something not allowed during typical sessions. The measure is a compromise to the severity of the virus—repeatedly, Hosemann, who leads the Senate, has pushed for a full delay to the session.
Jackson proper finally has a drive-through vaccination clinic, located at Smith-Wills Stadium. Until now, residents of Hinds County had to travel to Trustmark Park in Pearl for their closest drive-through clinic.
Senior Deputy and Director of Health Protection Jim Craig, of the Mississippi State Department of Health, spoke about the difficulties of providing vaccination coverage across the state. “We would like to increase geography, and we’re going to work with some partners to try to help do that, but with the limited doses that are available in our state, there’s really just no way to have vaccine available everywhere in the state at the same time,” he said.
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