Two new groups will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in Mississippi, Reeves says
Teachers and first responders will become eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Mississippi starting March 1, but newly eligible Mississippians can start making appointments as early as Wednesday, Gov. Tate Reeves announced at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
“This announcement marks a great milestone, and it is exciting news for those who have been working hard to keep our schools open and our streets safe,” Reeves said.
Reeves said thousands of new appointments will be available starting Wednesday for teachers and first responders.
He also struck an optimistic note on the state’s recent COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Both have declined steadily following the post-holiday spike that brought the worst wave of infections and deaths the state has seen since the pandemic began.
“I sit before you today and say, the tunnel is not nearly as long today as it has been at any point over the last year, and that light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter and brighter every single hour,” Reeves said.
According to the state’s draft vaccination plan prepared in October 2020, there are 125,000 public school staff and 28,545 university staff included in the “Critical Population” of educators. But Reeves said that university staff and teachers are not included in Wednesday’s eligibility expansion.
Rolling back COVID restrictions
Reeves said he anticipates the state will soon begin rolling back restrictions related to COVID-19. The mask mandate covering most of the state, including the six counties of South Mississippi, is set to expire on March 3.
“We are going to see less restrictions in Mississippi,” he said.
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infections disease specialists, has said it is too early to predict when the country will return to “normal.” In an appearance on CNN Sunday, Fauci said Americans might need to wear masks until 2022.
That statement triggered some backlash on the right. Critics argued people will be less likely to get the vaccine if it appears vaccination doesn’t lead to big lifestyle changes.
“I think it’s important that we understand that there is a reward for getting vaccinated,” Reeves said.
The vaccination numbers game
Reeves said that about 200,000 Mississippians over age 65 have now been vaccinated, representing 40-45% of that age group.
For the rest of this week, the week of March 1 and the week of March 8, Reeves said, the health department and other sites (like pharmacies) are offering a total of 200,000 vaccine appointments.
Those numbers could soon rise. Reeves said that in a recent phone call with representatives of the administration of President Joe Biden, he learned that the number of vaccine doses available nationally is expected to increase from 13.5 million to 14.5 million. That will likely mean Mississippi’s dose allocation will rise from 57,000 to 61,000, Reeves said.
State epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers noted that many teachers and first responders were technically already eligible, since Mississippians ages 16 to 64 with certain health conditions can get the vaccine.
Appointments can be scheduled through covidvaccine.umc.edu or by calling 877-978-6453.
This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 2:49 PM.
