COVID-19 Tips, Resources and Relief Efforts (4/9/2020)

COVID-19 Tips, Resources and Relief Efforts

Thursday, April 9, 2020

As of Wednesday, April 8, 2020, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) reported 2,260 COVID-19 cases and 76 deaths. Our healthcare professionals
are giving it all they have to treat those who are infected, so we must do our part to help slow the spread of this highly infectious disease.
Please remember to wash your hands often, avoid touching your face, always sneeze or cough into a tissue or the inside of your elbow, and practice
social distancing.

The coronavirus is attacking people of all ages and backgrounds, so it is critical that each and every one of us take the necessary precautions to
protect our state. Continue to pray for those on the front lines of this pandemic and help support them by staying at home as much as possible.
Mississippians are resilient and we will come out of this stronger than we were before.

Click here to view COVID-19 cases, testing locations and safety tips.

Supply and Demand vs. Price Gouging

If you stroll through the aisles of your local grocery store, you may notice a price increase on certain items. Some grocery stores are being accused
of price gouging during the national emergency, but it’s important for consumers to understand the difference between price gouging and a case
of supply and demand. Basic economic theory shows that when a good or service becomes scarce — because of rising demand, falling supply,
delivery issues, or any combination of these — prices rise. Grocery store owners across the state say shelter-in-place orders led to panic
buying, which made the supply of certain items scarce, causing a rise in demand and significant price increases by vendors. For example, if a vendor
charges a grocery store more money for a case of eggs or meat, the grocery store may have to increase prices to cover the cost of obtaining those
items.

Price gouging is the practice of raising prices on certain types of goods and services to an unfair level, especially during a state of emergency.
If you think you’ve seen price gouging, the Attorney General’s office encourages you to do the following:

Take a picture of the product or sign.
Make sure the picture is dated and time-stamped.
Email the picture to webpage@ago.ms.gov with a description of the location and your contact information.

For more information regarding price gouging,

call the Attorney General’s Office at (601) 359-3680.

Driver’s License Services

Driver’s license stations across the state remain closed with the exception of the nine Mississippi Highway Patrol District Troop stations. At the
moment, the nine MHP District Troop Stations will only provide the following services:

Sex offender registry transactions
Commercial driver license (CDL) card renewals only – no testing
Commercial driver license (CDL) medical card updates

Online transactions will still be available for the following services:

Regular driver’s license renewal
Purchase a duplicate driver’s license
Identification card renewal
Purchase a duplicate identification card
Address changes for regular driver’s license and identification car

Click here for additional services.

Tax Filing Extension

While the federal government and many other states have postponed their income tax filing and payment deadline to July 15, the filing deadline in Mississippi
is May 15. According to the Mississippi Department of Revenue, it cannot move the state tax filing deadline to July 15 due to the $550,000,000
impact it would have on the state budget. The Department says the May 15 deadline allows the state to meet its statutory requirements of a balanced
budget as of the fiscal year-end, which is June 30. The extension does not apply to Sales Tax, Use Tax, or any other tax types.

Click here to view additional Department of Revenue deadline extensions.

COVID-19 Scams

Scammers are using emails, text messages and robocalls to solicit donations for individuals, groups and areas affected by COVID-19. Mississippians
should remember the following tips before donating to a charity or organization:

Do your research.

When you consider giving to a specific charity, search its name plus “complaint,” “review,” “rating,” or “scam.”
Click here to check the validity of a charity on our website.

Be careful how you pay.

Be wary of someone wanting donations in cash, by gift cards or by wiring money. To be safe, pay by credit card or check.
Keep a record of all donations and review your statements closely to make sure you’re only charged the amount you agreed to donate.
Before clicking on a link to donate online, make sure you know exactly who is receiving your donation.

Keep scammers’ tricks in mind

Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation.
Be cautious of calls or text messages that thank you for making a donation you never made.
Scammers give vague and sentimental claims but give no specifics about how your donation will be used.

Executive Orders

Executive Order 1467	Executive Order 1467 waives the in-person requirement for notarization of documents.
Executive Order 1466	Executive Order 1466 issues a statewide shelter-in-place order to protect public health.
Executive Order 1465	Executive Order 1465 issues a shelter-in-place for Lauderdale County.
Executive Order 1464	Executive Order 1464 waives trucking weight limits during the COVID-19 emergency.
Supplement to Executive Order 1463	This supplement to Executive Order 1463 ensures a united COVID-19 response.
Executive Order 1463	Executive Order 1463 announces new state guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Click here to view all Executive Orders.

Emergency Contact Information

Office of the Governor of Mississippi Tate Reeves	(601) 359-3150 governor@govreeves.ms.gov
Mississippi State Department of Health	(877) 978-6453
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency	(601) 933-6362
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	(800) 232-4636