Mississippi companies shift work amid pandemic

As the country hunkers down and people shelter in place amid the coronavirus pandemic, several Mississippi businesses have shifted their production lines in an effort to help stay afloat and provide much-needed services.

A jeans company is making face guards and a coffeehouse is making loaves of bread - all with the intention of keeping their employees working and help fellow Mississippians battle the outbreak.

At the Blue Delta Jeans manufacturing plant in Shannon, production of custom jeans has been put on hold in order to create face masks.

And at Strange Brew Coffeehouse in Tupelo, they've added to their baking repertoire by making loaves of bread.

The company's three coffeehouse locations are producing up to 50 loaves of fresh homemade bread per day.

"So here in small town Mississippi we basically realized that a lot of our clients needed basic items like bread and milk and we thought to ourselves we have flour, we have sugar. Let's meet them where they are and make what the community needs so that's what we're doing," said Katelyn Reed, the owner of Strange Brew Coffeehouse.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

The vast majority of people recover.