In the State of Mississippi there have now been more than one million doses of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccinations administered. In Scott County, as of Tuesday’s report from the Mississippi State Department of Health, approximately 20 percent of the population, or 5,665 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine. In addition approximately 14 percent of the population or 3,865 people have been fully vaccinated. Both Moderna and Pfizer require two injections for full vaccination. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one injection.
Currently in Mississippi any resident over the age of 16 can receive one of the COVID-19 vaccinations, however the Pfizer vaccine is the only one approved for those under the age of 18. Residents 16-18 should call the state COVID-19 Vaccination Hotline at 1-877-978-6453 to schedule an appointment or contact their personal healthcare provider.
Lackey Memorial Hospital in Forest and Clark Medical Clinic in Morton are both making appointments this week for the COVID-19 vaccine. To make an appointment at the Lackey Drive-Thru Clinic on Airport Road, just off Highway 35 South, call 601-900-0672.
To make an appointment at Clark Medical Clinic, adjacent to Scott Regional Hospital, at 321 Highway 13 South in Morton call 601-732-8612.
The MSDH advises that all Mississippi residents aged 65 or older, or 16 and older with serious chronic medical conditions, continue to avoid all social gatherings outside of the household or any in-person mass gathering, including religious ceremonies, or sporting events, until fully protected by an approved COVID-19 vaccine. Full vaccine effectiveness occurs two weeks after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and 28 days after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Vaccinated residents are encouraged to continue to observe social distancing, mask use, and other protective steps. This helps prevent the possible transmission of COVID-19 to those who have not yet been vaccinated.
As of Tuesday the state was reporting 306 new positive cases of the COVID-19 virus and 21 additional deaths, with one of those deaths being in Scott County. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020 there have now been 303,238 positive cases of COVID-19 reported in the state and 6,977 deaths.
In Scott County, as of Tuesday, there has been 3,044 positive cases of recorded since the pandemic began and 72 deaths. That is an increase of 41 cases and the one death since the same time period last week.
