Board of Aldermen makes no changes to COVID-19 restrictions

The Oxford Board of Aldermen decided not to make changes to existing COVID-19 restrictions or Mayor Robyn Tannehill’s current executive order at its regular meeting on Tuesday. The executive order mandates that people wear masks inside of all indoor businesses and in outdoor public spaces where social distancing is not possible. 

According to Tannehill, the number of COVID-19 patients at Baptist Memorial Hospital has hovered between 45 and 55 for the last six weeks. As of Monday, though, there were 23 COVID-19 patients at the hospital and two in the intensive care unit. That leaves 181 staffed beds and 24 staffed intensive care unit beds currently available.

“So, (Oxford is) still in good shape at the hospital, which is what we kind of use as our primary measuring stick (for restrictions) right now,” Tannehill said.

There has also been a decrease in new coronavirus cases in Lafayette County within the past four days. The county has seen an average of approximately 27.5 positive cases per day for the last seven days, and just eight were reported on Tuesday. 

One COVID-19 related death was reported in Lafayette County today, but it was found in a review of previous death certificates, according to Jimmy Allgood, director of emergency management for the city. Overall, 105 total deaths have occurred in the county due to the coronavirus. 

In Lafayette County, 5,577 residents have been recorded as vaccinated thus far, but Allgood said there are likely more residents who have been vaccinated than have been reported. Allgood said this number is on track with similar counties. 

In Lee County, 5,568 residents have received the vaccine, and 8,299 Desoto County residents have been vaccinated to date. 

“Our group is doing extremely well out here. They’re going 400+ vaccinations a day,” Allgood said. “We’ve had people from all over North Mississippi coming to our site (and) from Arkansas and from Tennessee.”

Allgood did not have the exact number of vaccines that have been distributed in Lafayette County, but he estimated it to be around 6,400.