Mississippi’s state of emergency order related to the coronavirus has expired, with Republican Gov. Tate Reeves citing increased coronavirus vaccine numbers and declining hospitalizations related to the pandemic.
The state of emergency related to the pandemic expired Saturday at 11:59 p.m. Reeves announced earlier this month that he would allow it to run out.
The emergency order was first put into effect on March 14, 2020, a few days after the state reported its first coronavirus case. It enabled the governor to mobilize the Mississippi National Guard to help with COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites.
The order also authorized the state’s COVID-19 System of Care Plan, which allows for transfers of patients throughout Mississippi’s health care systems.
It did not implement lockdowns or mask mandates.
According to state officials, more than 3 million vaccine doses have been administered throughout Mississippi.