Photo courtesy of MSDH/Twitter
Just days after an update to the state’s vaccine distribution plan was announced by Governor Tate Reeves and the Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippians over the age of 75 are now eligible to receive their initial dosage.
As the rollout continues to ramp up, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said during a Zoom press conference that individuals in this age group, in addition to healthcare workers, can now make an appointment at any of the MSDH’s 18 drive-thru vaccination sites.
For more information on how to set up an appointment, visit https://covidvaccine.umc.edu or call 877-978-6453.
“Please be patient, there are way more people in Mississippi than we have access to vaccine, but as quickly as we can, we want to get this highly effective & safe vaccine in the arms of seniors so that they can be protected,” Dr. Dobbs said.
According to the MSDH, there are an estimated 200,000 Mississippians over the age of 75 and 400,000 over 65—the next eligible age group.
The latest data from the department shows that 30,691 Mississippians have been vaccinated so far with Dr. Dobbs stating that you can expect more and more vaccine doses to arrive at long-term care facilities in the coming weeks.
Of the state’s nearly 190,000 allocated doses, Dr, Dobbs explained that 78,000 have gone to long-term care facilities, 54,000 to healthcare systems, 9,500 to private clinics, 20,000 to additional healthcare facilities, and 14,000 remain with the MSDH.
