The novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 was one of the top stories of 2021.
To begin the year, Newton County was under a mask mandate by Gov. Tate Reeves due to the COVID-19 infection rate in the county. In January, 78 of the Mississippi’s 82 counties had mask mandates.
Reeves also announced in January that vaccinations would be available for individuals 75 and older. By mid-year, all individuals ages 16 and older were able to receive Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for COVID. The age limit was lowered throughout the year so that children ages 5-15 could also receive the vaccine.
The Newton Chamber of Commerce announced that Loose Caboose would return in 2021 after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The event was set for April 9-10 in downtown Newton.
There were two major waves of COVID-19 cases during the year. The first was in January after the holidays. But as the spring wore on, the numbers of cases fell dramatically, and by May, all mask mandates had been lifted, especially those called for by Reeves.
The second wave came in July and August, as the new delta variant of the virus spread. The virus claimed the life of Newton Alderman Michael Hillie.
The Neshoba County Fair was deemed a superspreader as Newton and Neshoba counties’ cases soared. It pushed Neshoba General Hospital to the brink. It was pushed to capacity with the majority of patients experiencing COVID. CEO Lee McCall encouraged everyone to get vaccinated because that surge was caused by mostly unvaccinated persons.
As school resumed for the 2021-2022 school year, each of the school districts had different plans for reopening school. Newton Municipal School District opened school virtually in August due to a spike in cases in Newton County. Once in-person classes resumed, masks have been required on campus.
Union Public Schools dealt with a severe outbreak at the beginning of school, although the majority of the cases were contracted before school began. Masks were required for a period, but school officials made mask-wearing optional as the school year progressed and cases have fallen.
Masks were not required at Newton County Schools, but it also dealt with an outbreak at school. The school board then set a 10 percent infection rate as the threshold to begin mask-wearing at each school or districtwide and a 25-percent infection rate for switching to virtual learning. The district has never reached either threshhold.
East Central Community College in Decatur updated its opening of school campus plan for the Fall 2021 Semester and required masking for most of the semester.
The City of Newton reopened its parks and the historic depot for the first time since the pandemic forced their shutdown a year ago. The parks reopened at 7 a.m. March 24, and rentals of the historic depot resumed as well.
The American Rescue Plan Act was signed on March 11. Newton County learned it would be receiving about $4 million in funding. Each of the municipalities have also received ARP money that is being spent on infrastructure and other mostly one-time uses.
