The City of Biloxi plans to declare a state of emergency during a City Council meeting on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.
The state of emergency and the city's continuing assessment of standard operating procedures are steps designed to minimize the expected increase in cases of the Coronavirus.
The state of the emergency, a measure typically enacted before storms, grants the mayor broad authority in making emergency purchases and using city personnel and equipment as needed and where needed to minimize the threat to the health and safety of city residents. A state of emergency also is typically a benchmark for calculating any federal disaster reimbursements that may become available.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control has announced that in-person events attracting 50 people or more be canceled or postponed for eight weeks. Those events, the CDC says, would include "a planned or spontaneous event with a large number of people in attendance that could strain the planning and response resources of the community hosting the event, such as a concert, festival, conference, or sporting event."
Events of any size, the CDC says, "should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing. When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual."
News & notes: Scheduling updates
Classes:Biloxi Public Schools are not in session this week.
City centers:The Biloxi Natatorium and Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center are closed until further notice.
Public libraries:Public libraries in Biloxi and throughout Harrison County will be closed to the public Tuesday through Saturday this week. Library leaders will evaluate later in the week whether to extend the closure.
Senior Olympics:All events scheduled through April 2 for the Mississippi Senior Olympics have been postponed until a later date. To visit the MSO website,click here.
Senior programs:All classes and field trips scheduled for March through the City of Biloxi Senior Programs have been canceled. To see information about the city's senior programs,click here.
Sports:All City of Biloxi baseball and softball leagues have suspended games and practices through the end of the month. To see more about Biloxi sports programs,click here.