In one month, coronavirus hospitalizations have more than doubled in Mississippi according to recent data from the Department of Health. And the seven-day rolling average of new cases has exceeded 1,000 for the first time since mid-February. Kristian Spear is Clinical Director of Physician Clinics at Gulfport Memorial Hospital. She says their hospital is no exception to the rise in transmission.
“And it’s kinda been that same way since COVID began, says Spear. “Our hospitalizations always follow an increase in cases in the community. And so we’ve had probably for about 2-3 weeks an increase in our positive cases in the community. So our numbers in the hospital, but overall not as bad as Alpha and Delta were.”
While more than 48% of Mississippians have completed their initial coronavirus vaccine schedule, 41% are unvaccinated or have only received one dose. And only 10% have gotten a booster dose. Spear says they are holding a clinic this Wednesday at a local community center to vaccinate local residents 12 years and older. She says bringing vaccines into the community can be that extra push some need to get the shot.
Spear says “We do notice that when COVID dies down, vaccine rates die down. So we’re still encouraging everybody to get vaccinated. Although, the people in the hospital most of them have been vaccinated, but as you can see, most of them, they’re not on the ventilator.”
Experts say the state’s coronavirus transmission rates are very likely an undercount due to at-home test kits. And vaccines are available at many pharmacies, doctors' offices, and county health departments across the state.
