With no supply increase yet, here’s the plan for COVID vaccinations in Mississippi
At the current rate, it would take almost nine months to vaccinate Mississippians now eligible to receive COVID-19 shots, with the majority receiving their doses at Mississippi State Department of Health drive-thru clinics.
State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said MSDH is currently receiving 37,000 first doses per week of COVID-19 vaccines. He and other state health officers have not been briefed yet on President Joe Biden’s plans to ramp up vaccine production, Dobbs said in a media briefing Thursday.
Although Mississippi is using all the doses it receives, Dobbs said he wanted to “temper expectations” about any increase in Mississippi’s vaccine allocation.
“There’s a natural bottleneck for vaccine production,” he said. “We’re not going to see a doubling of vaccine availability any time soon.”
Residents 65 and older, plus those 16-64 years old with a broad range of underlying health conditions, are eligible for the vaccine. Dobbs said 1.3 million-1.4 million residents fall into eligible categories. Underlying health conditions cover so many residents because they include categories such as smoking and obesity.
The state is not requiring proof of underlying conditions or identification at its drive-thru clinics in order to remove hurdles to vaccination.
“It’s going to take awhile for us to get through the demand with the current (eligible) group,” Dobbs said. He said he could not estimate when the next group eligible — including teachers and first responders — will be able to get vaccines, but those with underlying health conditions would already qualify.
Mississippi is vaccinating 30,000 residents a week through its drive-thru clinics, leaving only 7,000 doses to be distributed to MSDH partners such as community clinics and hospitals in rural areas. That leaves few if any doses for Singing River Health System, Gulfport Memorial Hospital and other major hospitals in cities with MSDH drive-thru clinics.
Earlier in the vaccination program, Singing River and Memorial vaccinated thousands of eligible residents after all their health care workers who wanted shots had received them.
“Please remember, we’ve never promised a steady stream of vaccine to anybody, even to ourselves,” Dobbs said. “The expectiation is, if you get some vaccine, it’s going to be gone in a week.”
Where to schedule a vaccine appointment
South Mississippi residents can schedule vaccine appointments, when they are available, at MSDH drive-thru clinics in Harrison and Jackson counties.
Residents willing to travel can also schedule appointments in other counties, including Forrest and Jones counties, when drive-thru clinics on the Coast are booked.
Vaccines are not available at any of the sites without an appointment.
Improved internet service and added staff working the appointment phone line make scheduling appointments easier. The fastest way to schedule an appointment at an MSDH drive-thru clinic is on the website, covidvaccine.umc.edu. Residents without internet access can call 877-978-6453.
Also in South Mississippi, Dobbs said that George County Hospital will be provided vaccines. Coastal Family Health Center is scheduling appointments at its clinics for residents 75 and older, who can call 877-374-4991 for appointments.
“By the time we make sure our drive-thru clinics are supplied, we’re left with a modest amount of doses to spread around,” MSDH Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said during the media briefing. “ . . . We can’t at this point promise that steady supply to those external partners.”
Vaccine outlook for Mississippi
Mississippi has moved from last among states on number of vaccines distributed to No. 40, with 4,119 per 100,000 residents receiving vaccines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccination tracker. The count updated Wednesday afternoon includes first and second doses.
However, the state’s slow start is reflected in the number of second doses administered — 335 per 100,000 — the fourth lowest of any state.
The state ramped up its drive-thru clinics to 30,000 doses a week by recruiting thousands of Mississippi National Guard troops to help administer the shot.
Dobbs said he believes Mississippi could meet its numbers as part of President Joe Biden’s goal to administer 100 million doses in 100 days, but the problem is supply and it won’t be easily resolved.
Biden’s national COVID-19 response strategy relies on increased private production of vaccine and supplies under the Defense Production Act, with as many venues as possible available for vaccines.
Biden’s plan would put doses back in the hands of hospitals and also distributes the vaccine to federally run clinics, pharmacies and retail stores, doctors’ offices, urgent care centers, and mobile and on-site occupational clinics.
Meanwhile, anecdotal observations reported to the Sun Herald indicate state clinics in South Mississippi are efficient and well-run, with no long wait times.
“Mississippi is doing a rocking good job getting the vaccine out,” Dobbs said.
What about scheduling second doses?
The state is receiving a steady supply of second doses for both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which can be administered no sooner than 21 days and 28 days, respectively, after the first dose. The second dose can wait longer, health officers say.
MSDH is still working to resolve one logistical issues. Residents can’t schedule their second-dose of the vaccine when they receive the first dose at one of the state’s drive-thru clinics.
MSDH Senior Deputy Jim Craig said the state is still working to assure that the same brand of vaccine will be available when needed at the same drive-thru location where the first dose was received. He said this is the first week that the Pfizer vaccine has been introduced at drive-thru locations.
But all three MSDH officials said the state is receiving separate weekly doses of the second vaccine and they will be available for residents who have received a first dose. Residents will just need — for the time being — to return to the MSDH website or phone line to schedule their second appointment.
This story was originally published January 21, 2021 at 3:40 PM.
