WCBI News at Ten - Monday, April 6th, 2020

WCBI News at Ten - Monday, April 6th, 2020

We're a few days into the statewide shelter-in-place order.

Part of the reason for the order is to allow the healthcare system to prepare for a surge in covid-19 cases... courtney ann jackson has the latest from today's briefing with the governor.

The latest models show mississippi is 12 days away from peak resource use related to covid- 19.

Governor tate reeves is giving the game plan today of how the state is planning to have enough resources.

"ga bed on its own without the proper staff is useless and we will need coordination within the system to ensure that everyone is operating from the same playbook."

Part of the planning is an across the board decision on treating patients.

The most critical patients-- "people with severe symptoms comes from our larger hospitals... those with larger staffs, sophisticated technology and icu capacity."

Those who are recovering or don't need acute care?

"we are working with our smaller rural hospitals to develop contracts where they would be paid by the state to house covid-19 patients who do not require that same level of treatment.

They will serve patients who are through the period of needing acute care or have not yet reached that point.."

The state is also looking at two options for additional beds- both would add another 200 beds.

"these will serve a similar need as our smaller hospitals.

We are working to identify a site in north mississippi that could handle approximately 200 additional beds.

We have identified a space in south mississippi...camp shelby which is a national guard facility outside hattiesburg."

While the projections are improving-reeves doesn't want to slack up on the state plan.

"i'm not telling you today that we're going to need these 200 beds in north mississippi where these 200 beds in south mississippi.

I'm telling you that our approach is we would rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

The state isn't sticking with any one model for this planning.

The governor says they actually increased the projected number of beds needed by 50 percent as an added cover.

Take new at 10 stinger an oxford doctor who claims she was fired after raising concerns about safety of other doctors and nurses treating coronavirus patients is suing her former employer.

In a lawsuit filed against baptist memorial hospital north, doctor samantha houston says she was fired for alleged disruptive behavior.

Before her firing, doctor houston asked local churches and organizations to donate masks and baby monitors to help staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

She also sent emails to co workers raising concerns about the need for more personal protective equipment for some healthcare workers.

Houston is seeking actual and punitive damages in the suit.

We've said it before - healthcare workers are on the frontlines of the covid 19 fight, and unfortunately, they are not immune to the disease.

Tonight, a marion county nursing home worker clings to life after her daughter says she tested positive for covid-19.

Michael clark from the cbs affiliate in birmingham brings us more..

For around 30 years rose harrison has served her community as a nurse and healthcare worker - now people across the country are praying for her as her family says her condition continues to decline at a mississippi hospital.

Smiles between a mother and daughter at a safe distance - just days before rose harrison's daughter amanda williams had her life turned upside down.

"she spiked a high temperature on friday night, i took her directly to an emergency room and by saturday night she was on a ventilator."

Rose harrison has been working at marion regional nursing home in hamilton - caring for others on the frontlines.

Her daughter says one of the patient's her mother cared for recently tested positive for coronavirus at the marion county facility.

"i want everybody to know what a wonderful woman she is and if she does not come through this that she did doing exactly what she thought she had to do and that was to take care of her patients."

Amanda williams is also a nurse - and says she's concerned other nursing homes may not be using masks and other protective equipment until it is too late.

"the time that she was exposed, they weren't wearing the protective masks.

They weren't required to wear the protective masks, because they hadn't had a case yet.

And that's one thing that i fear with other nursing homes, if you haven't had a case yet, it doesn't matter."

Williams says other caregivers and patients have been tested and she believes nursing home leaders are waiting on results.

As her mother's health continues to decline, she's asking for prayers of comfort - for someone who spent her life caring for others.

"mother is the absolute foundation of our family.

She's been a nurse for over 30 years.

A wife, a grandmother, just a wonderful mother.

She has dedicated her entire life to her family and nursing career."

Amanda williams is in touch with her mother's hospital for updates on her condition.

We'll be sure to keep you updated at cbs42.com.

Mema is encouraging mississippians to wear face masks in public// the cdc says individual who don't have symptoms of covid- 19 can still transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. meaning the virus can spread between folks just by speaking, coughing or sneezing.

If n-95 masks are unavailable the cdc recommends using homemade cloth masks like a t-shirt, small towel or a scarf.

You also want to include multiple layers of fabric to keep from spreading any germs. and be sure to clean masks daily..

Wipe to gfx a university of mississippi medical center's drive-up testing center will be in eupora this week.

The one-day mobile collections will be on thursday from 9 am until 4 pm, across the street from the webster county health department.

You have to be screened on the c spire health u-m-m- c virtual covid-19 triage telehealth app before being assigned an appointment.

If you do not have a smartphone, call the number on your screen.

Appointments will only be given to people who are symptomatic for covid-19 and are determined to need testing.

Those being tested cannot leave their vehicle.

U-m-m-c will notify those tested of the results.

Wipe to gfx cbs-affiliate wjtv will be hosting a coronavirus town hall with governor tate reeves and state health officer dr. thomas dobbs.

You can watch the event right here on wcbi-tv.

The event will air thursday, april 9, from 7:00 p.m.

To 8:00 p.m.

Gov.

Reeves and dr. dobbs will be answering questions from residents.

To find how how to submit a question, go to our website w-c-b-i dot com.

Take developing story stinger a woman serving 15 years for a conviction out of lee county dies at a jackson hospital.

40-year-old mary jewell died sunday night at merit health central after becoming sick several months ago.

Jewell had been hospitalized several times since december.

M-d-o-c says jewell had been tested for coronavirus and her results were negative.

An autopsy will be done to determine her official cause of death.

Jewell had been in prison since 20-10.

She was serving a 15 year sentence for attempted armed robbery and two counts of possession of a weapon by a felon in lee county first look stinger summary: a batch of showers and storms will cross the region tuesday.

A few locally strong/severe storms with gusty wind and small hail can't be totally ruled out.

Some additional strong storms are possible wednesday and thursday.

Quiet weather looks to return for the end of the week but another system could approach by winston county supervisors put a curfew in place amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The curfew takes effect immediately and is from the hours of 9 pm until 6 am.

The curfew will stay in place as long as the state is under a state of emergency or until other action is taken by the board of supervisors.

All non essential travel is prohibited under the new order.

Violators can face a fine up to 500 dollars.

Wipe to gfx oktibbeha county supervisors also approve a curfew for the next 30 days.

Starting tonight a curfew will be in place from 10 pm until 5 am.

Only essential travel will be allowed.

You can be fined up to one thousand dollars or spend up to 30 days in jail..

The curfew also applies to the starkville city limits.

Spd will have to enforce it there.

Tupelo transit buses will stay parked another week..

This comes after a bus driver tested positive for covid- 19 on march 28th.

The extra week will allow drives and employees another week of isolation.

All vehicles and offices are being professionally cleaned and sanitized.

Tupelo transit is scheduled to reopen on april 13th.

Food delivery services are becoming popular options as people try to stay home.

But their drivers have to stay safe when dropping of the goods.

Our quentin smith talks to one service to find out how they're handling the extra precautions.

It's the start of another busy work week at lazy guys as the orders continue to flood their inbox... "we've had a huge influx of new customers."

John bass is the ceo and founder of lazy guys..

They make food and personal deliveries all throughout columbus and starkville.... in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak..

He's seeing an increased need in their service... on average.... they're making roughly 100 deliveries a day..

"i think people just aren't comfortable getting out right now, and delivery is one of the safest options."

Nat as drivers begin their routes some of the ways they're making deliveries safer is by wearing face masks... gloves.... and carrying hand sanitizer.... "most of our drivers are very cognoscente and understand that we need to do everything we can to make customers feel comfortable with using this service."

Another safety service being offered is the no contact deliveries.

What this means is..

The driver will leave the delivery on the front steps.....knock at the door to alert customers the goods are being dropped off, then they leave.

Avoiding any potential contact..

"they can just say i want "no contact delivery," or as soon as our driver gets started on the order, they'll generally reach although delivery options are convenient for most, bass says this option is not being provided voluntarily... which is why customers should not be surprised to see a delivery fee... stinger wx open summary: a batch of showers and storms will cross the region tuesday.

A few locally strong/severe storms with gusty wind and small hail can't be totally ruled out.

Some additional strong storms are possible wednesday and thursday.

Quiet weather looks to return for the end of the week but another system could approach by easter sunday.

Monday night: partly to mostly cloudy skies.

Lows in the 60s.

Tuesday: mostly cloudy with and 70% chance of showers and storms. a few storms could be locally strong with gusty winds and small hail.

Highs top out in the 70s.

Tuesday night: variably cloudy and quiet.

Lows in the 60s.

Wednesday: partly cloudy with a chance of a few storms during the day.

Very warm for early april with highs in the mid 80s.

Wednesday night: partly cloudy.

A chance for some gusty storms late in the overnight hours.

Lows in the 60s.

Thursday: a continuing chance of rain & storms, especially during the first half of the day.

Highs in the 70s.

Cool lows in the mid to upper 40s thursday night.

Friday: sun & clouds.

Cooler highs in the 60s.

Lows in the mid 40s friday night.

Saturday: increasing clouds.

A chance of afternoon and evening showers.

Highs in the lower 70s.

Easter sunday: areas of rain and storms are possible.

Highs in the lower 70s.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and on the wcbi news app stinger stinger when we come back we separate fact from fiction when it comes to organ donation..

Health talk with baptist welcome back, april is national donate life month, and this week in health talk we're looking at the facts and the myths about organ donation// hi i'm shelly kidder, a nurse in the education department at baptist memorial hospital golden triangle.

I am also a first responder for the mid-south transplant foundation.

This week we will be discussing the organ and tissue donation.

More than 100,000 people in the united states are waiting for an organ transplant.

Someone is added to the waiting list every 10 minutes and about 20 people die every day waiting on an organ.

It can be hard to think about what's going to happen to your body after you die.

But being an organ donor is a generous and worthwhile decision that can be a life saver.

Did you know that one donor can potentially change the lives of eight people?

Unfortunately many people do not register due to some common myths and concerns.

I want to address some of them.

When you go to the hospital for treatment, the doctors focus on saving your life - not somebody else's.

Organ donation is consistent with the beliefs of most major religions.

Many states allow people younger than 18 to register as organ donors, but the final decision will remain with the parents or legal guardian.

Organ and tissue donation does not interfere with having an open casket funeral.

The donor is treated with care and respect, so there are no visible signs of organ or tissue donations.

Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating organs.

Only medical professionals at the time of your death can determine whether your organs are suitable for transplant.

If you want to be a living donor, you are no longer limited to donating only to a close family member.

You can now donate a kidney, one of two lobes of liver, a lung or part of a lung, part of the pancreas or part of the intestines to a distant family member, a friend or even a stranger.

Join us next time for health talk with baptist when we will address some of the other myths of organ and tissue donation.

Stinger vic schaefer is officially a texas longhorn...returni ng home to the lone star state hear vic's first comments to the bulldogs fan base, next spx open 24 hours to set in....the vic schaefer era at mississippi state is over.... the former head coach of bulldogs' women's basketball officially introduced today as the head coach of the texas longhorns... texas athletic director chris del conte says in a teleconference that schaefer was number one on his list after the school chose not to resign previous coach karen aston del conte says schaefer wasn't contacted until this past friday, and 48 hours later, the deal was done in his introductory press conference, schaefer thanked msu athletics administration, while also saying this to the bulldogs fanbase "to our fanbase, the bulldogs family.

For their love of my family, our staff, our program, my players here at mississippi state.

This has been a great eight years, and it is a tremendous state.

So many wonderful people, the state of mississippi has just been tremendous for us.

To my student-athletes, nothing has been harder than to know we've had our last practive together.

Our last competition together.

Our last team meal.

Our last travel together.

I will miss you guys tremendously, and will love you forever."

The coaching search beginning for mississippi state, schaefer saying today nothing is certain as to which assistant will follow him to texas...but schaefer did endorse associate head coach johnnie harris to take over in starkville m-u-w has hired former caledonia head boys and girls soccer coach louis alexander to the same position alexander led both programs to a combined result of 51-31-7, along with four playoff appearances alexander also spent time at starkville academy...and played two seasons at emcc in a move to combat the spread of the coronavirus...the nfl announcing the draft will go on as planned...but virtually team general managers and head coaches will be drafting from their homes, and the nfl states that personnell cannot gather at one person's home the draft will go on in it's planned april 23rd to the 25th.... the master's has honed in on a date for the rescheduled tournament....the chairman saying monday november 9 through the 15th are now the intended dates for the 2020 master's one of the biggest golf tournament will now be happening deep in the middle of sec football....mississi pi state at kentucky and ole miss at arkansas that weekend as well.....with some hopeful thinking case mr. wheelchairs was showers and storms the regions where they were really the seven easier back in the 80s wednesday officials possible also which were early thursday they want cooler 60s for riddell for most of the 40s but no freezing chapters which is sometimes possible route user easter sunday of course not this sunday we are the 70's got the chance for some reason the math is it possible to be freezing on the