By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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The Mississippi governor has dismissed herd immunity as a way to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, and reiterated his plea for people in his state to wear masks.
Republican Gov. Tate Reeves told reporters on Monday it was crucial that at least 80 percent of people wore masks, describing it as "the best weapon we have right now," in mitigating against the disease which has infected more than 36,000 people in the state.
On the same day as his executive order came into effect compelling people to wear masks at public gatherings in 13 counties hardest hit by the disease, Reeves said in a Twitter thread that herd immunity to combat the disease would be impractical.
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The threshold of herd immunity is the percentage of a population who need to be immune to the coronavirus to protect others. Experts differ on the percentage required and there is uncertainty over the degree to which those who tested positive for coronavirus are immune to reinfection.
Taking a cautious figure of a 40 percent infection rate, he tweeted that with the three million-strong population of his state there would need to be 1.2 million infections to achieve that hypothetical threshold.
"To get to 40% infections, we'd need 3,187 new cases every day for a full year from today. We would need to TRIPLE our worst day—every day—for a year."
"I'm not one of these guys that immediately dismisses any idea that challenges the expert status quo talking points. I'm pretty skeptical by nature. That's healthy. But herd immunity is not anything like a realistic solution in the short or mid-term. I wish it was," Reeves tweeted to his 36,000 followers.
"Unless you're willing to go without hospitals after a car wreck or heart attack, we need a different approach. Right now, despite mixed messages at the beginning, it seems like masks are the best bet. They're a hell of a lot better than widespread shut downs. Please wear one!" he said in the thread which was shared thousands of times.
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At Monday's press conference with the governor, the state's top health official said that infection rates would only get worse as eight of the state's largest hospitals had reached ICU capacity, four of which were in the Jackson area, the Mississippi Clarion Ledger reported.
State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs dispelled rumors about infection numbers, telling reporters that he had been repeatedly asked if someone had tested positive three times, whether that would be counted as three cases.
"Every time we test someone, it doesn't matter—one person is one case. There is no case inflation...We need to set that rumor to rest," he said, according to WLBT.
Also last week, a coronavirus outbreak at the State Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, saw 36 people test positive for the disease, including 26 lawmakers.
The graphic below, provided by Statista, illustrates the surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S.
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