Community Update - March 12, 2020
The City of Oxford is going to do everything we can to join together with the University of Mississippi, Lafayette County and the State of Mississippi Health Officials to be a good partner as we all deal with a
worldwide pandemic. City of Oxford officials are in constant contact with the MS Department of Health, CDC, Lafayette County officials, University of Mississippi officials, as well as, Baptist Hospital and local school and business leaders.
This pandemic affects our community at so many different levels. It affects our daily life as we can’t help but be anxious about the health issues citizens might face. It has the potential of affecting our work force and families as they decide how to manage childcare if closures of schools are needed, and the effects on our economy will be felt immediately.
With Ole Miss transitioning to online classes and SEC athletic events banning fans from attending games, the small businesses who are the backbone of our economy will feel a huge impact. We are a business community dependent upon the students, their families, alumni, and fans frequently visiting our community. It is good public health policy to cancel certain events but I encourage everyone to continue to support our small businesses during this time, but please do so responsibly. They need us now more than ever. I encourage everyone to leave an extra tip for those service workers who are also going to be negatively affected financially during this difficult time.
Our first concern remains the public safety of our residents. We encourage you to be diligent about washing your hands, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, and covering your mouth and nose during coughs and sneezes. We encourage you to stay home if you feel sick. Although this virus may not be detrimental to you if you are young and healthy, we need to be extra cautious to keep from exposing others.
We have received numerous questions about cancellations of schools and events. The Oxford and Lafayette School Districts will alert us if school closures are required. Event cancellations including Double Decker Arts Festival will be considered over the coming weeks as we continue to assess the situation.
The Mississippi Department of Health has activated the MS COVID-19 hotline to answer questions from the general public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon- Fri. The hotline number is 1-877-978-6453. For up-to-date info, call hotline or check the MSDH website at HealthyMS.com/COVID-19.
This pandemic affects our community at so many different levels. It affects our daily life as we can’t help but be anxious about the health issues citizens might face. It has the potential of affecting our work force and families as they decide how to manage childcare if closures of schools are needed, and the effects on our economy will be felt immediately.
With Ole Miss transitioning to online classes and SEC athletic events banning fans from attending games, the small businesses who are the backbone of our economy will feel a huge impact. We are a business community dependent upon the students, their families, alumni, and fans frequently visiting our community. It is good public health policy to cancel certain events but I encourage everyone to continue to support our small businesses during this time, but please do so responsibly. They need us now more than ever. I encourage everyone to leave an extra tip for those service workers who are also going to be negatively affected financially during this difficult time.
Our first concern remains the public safety of our residents. We encourage you to be diligent about washing your hands, cleaning frequently touched surfaces, and covering your mouth and nose during coughs and sneezes. We encourage you to stay home if you feel sick. Although this virus may not be detrimental to you if you are young and healthy, we need to be extra cautious to keep from exposing others.
We have received numerous questions about cancellations of schools and events. The Oxford and Lafayette School Districts will alert us if school closures are required. Event cancellations including Double Decker Arts Festival will be considered over the coming weeks as we continue to assess the situation.
The Mississippi Department of Health has activated the MS COVID-19 hotline to answer questions from the general public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon- Fri. The hotline number is 1-877-978-6453. For up-to-date info, call hotline or check the MSDH website at HealthyMS.com/COVID-19.