Columbus city leaders approve COVID-19 resolution

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus Mayor Robert Smith and City councilman approved a new COVID-19 resolution.

These regulations addressed child care facilities and retail stores.

On Tuesday, Columbus city leaders announced a new order for the city.

“We pretty much followed the Governor’s guidelines, which ours was a little stricter as far as the 10 feet distancing, we changed that,” said Mayor Robert Smith.

Smith said the changes targeted daycare facilities and shopping centers.

He said the rule stated that children can’t touch their hands or faces have been removed. And classes of more than 10 are permitted.

“Some of the information I received from the child care providers that at the way of the city’s guidelines were under the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines is that they were too strict so rather than open it up they would wait until some changes were made,” said Smith.

Shopping stores should keep six feer floor markings present to promote social distancing. And employees were encouraged to wear masks.

“As government, local government, state government we can only do what we can do. Right now it’s all about self and you have to look out for yourself and do the things to protect you and your family. You have some people that’s going to follow then you have some people that won’t. But we urge everyone to follow the directions so we don’t keep increasing those cases,” said Ward 5 councilman Stephen Jones.

James Woodward M.D. of Allegro Clinic in Columbus said if citizens followed the regulations, there was a possibility for coronavirus cases to potentially slow down.

“The virus is still present, we don’t have a vaccine. So with that being said we need to continue social distancing. Wearing a mask is a really good idea. You know people get tired of doing things different or a little tired of what their used to so they have to make those choices themselves,”said Woodward.

In the meantime, city leaders have urged the public to follow the orders.

“It’s going to take some time, it’s still a fear in people’s mind and it should be because the numbers are still going up. Hopefully the things that the governor has done and what we’ve done locally can get us back to a little normalcy as long as they follow the guidelines,” said Jones.

The new regulations take place immediately.

To read the resolution, click here.