Lafayette County Declares State of Emergency; Closes Common Dining Areas

By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

The Lafayette County Chancery Building where the Board of Supervisors met Friday to declare a state of emergency.
Photo by Alyssa Schnugg

For the purpose of controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Lafayette County, the Board of Supervisors declared a state of emergency and required any county restaurants to close dining areas.

The Board met Friday morning to sign a proclamation declaring the State of Emergency “due to the condition of an epidemic.”

Until further order of the Board of Supervisors, all restaurants doing businesses in the unincorporated areas of the county must limit all food service through the use of drive-thru, delivery service or curbside pick-up service. The use of interior or exterior common dining facilities is prohibited.

The city of Oxford passed a similar proclamation earlier this week, restricting city restaurants to the same requirements.

The Mississippi State Department of Health announced one positive case of COVID in Lafayette County on Thursday and a total of 80 cases statewide. Nationally, there are are more than 10,000 positive cases and have been 150 deaths associated with COVID-19. There has been only death thus far in Mississippi caused by the coronavirus.

The proclamation also requires all churches, businesses and families to adhere to the CDC guidelines and the Governor’s recommendation of not holding a gathering with more than 10 people.

The board also authorized the president of the board, currently Mike Roberts, to order a general curfew or to order additional limits to individual gathering and other measures to the interest of protecting the health, safety and welfare of the Lafayette County community.

However, a curfew or other limitations were not considered Friday.