COVID cases hit record high as MS state website crashes, seniors try to schedule vaccines
While the Mississippi State Department of Health website has crashed and anxious senior citizens scramble to make appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations, the state has hit a new high for cases: 3,255 are being reported on Thursday.
The previous high was 3,023 cases on Dec. 30. Also on Thursday, the MSDH reported 48 deaths. The state now has a total of 231,490 cases of COVID-19 and 5,061 deaths.
The seven-day average for daily cases is 2,240, also a record high.
The MSDH reported the numbers through its mobile application. A breakdown by county is not available because the website, msdh.ms.gov, has been down all day due to “technical difficulties.”
Also, the Sun Herald is receiving calls from residents who are 75 and older and now eligible for shots. At a news conference Wednesday, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs offered a telephone number that elderly residents can call to schedule appointments.
Several Sun Herald readers said they have been unable to get through to a person at the telephone number. One reader said she spent 1 1/2 hours on hold. Dobbs said more workers will be added to man telephones because of call volume.
The MSDH/University of Mississippi Medical Center is scheduling appointments through the website covidvaccine.umc.edu for vaccinations at 18 drive-thru locations — including Jackson, Harrison and Forrest counties — but none were available Thursday evening, a check of the website showed.
While the MSDH website was working Wednesday, the Sun Herald checked appointment slots and found they had all been filled through the end of January at MSDH/University of Mississippi Medical Center drive-thru locations offering the shots in Harrison, Jackson and Forrest counties.
On Friday morning, the website showed that some slots were open for the afternoon of Wednesday, January 13, at the Jackson County Health Department, 4600 Lt. Eugene J. Majure Dr. in Pascagoula. If the slots are filled, residents should keep checking back.
Both Singing River Health System and Memorial Hospital at Gulfport are also taking appointments for vaccinations in the eligible age group. Vaccinations are also still available to health care workers who have not yet received them.
All first-time vaccinations will require a booster shot, which is due 21 days later for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 28 days later for the Moderna vaccine. Reminders are being sent to patients.
How to schedule vaccine appointments on the MS Coast
To schedule vaccinations through Singing River, call 228-809-5555. Established patients can make an appointment through MySingingRiver account.
Media director Sarah Duffey said Singing River expects to administer 1,320 shots Thursday and will be receiving vaccine doses on Monday with another 1,320 slots available for Tuesday appointments.
Memorial Hospital’s website says residents 75 and older can call 228-867-5000 with questions about COVID-19 and vaccinations.
▪ Memorial is offering first-come, first-served vaccinations Friday — while supplies last — from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the D’Iberville Community Center, 10452 Lamey Bridge Rd., D’Iberville.
Vaccinations are free, but Memorial advises there could be wait times and those receiving shots will need to be monitored for reactions for 15 minutes. Patients who have previously experienced reactions to medication may not be able to receive a vaccination.
Also, identification is required.
This story was originally published January 7, 2021 at 1:04 PM.
