This time last year, health officials in Mississippi reported that Native Americans in the state were almost 8 times more likely to become infected with coronavirus and were dying at a disproportionately higher rate than anyone else in the state.
Since then, Dr. Kerry Scott Interim Chief Medical Officer at the Choctaw Health Center in Philadelphia says they've made major improvements. As of yesterday, Choctaw health officials reported 0 new cases of COVID-19 since May 13th and no deaths since March.
But, Dr. Scott says the threat of new COVID-19 variants is cause for concern.
"The Delta variant is considered to be a little bit more transmissible," said Scott.
"So, you have to be very cautious especially with that younger aged population who's not eligible to be vaccinated at this time. That opens the door for at least those individuals to be carriers for the variant."
There are just over 11,000 members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. According to the health center, less than 30% of the population is fully inoculated since vaccines became available in January.
"There is hesitancy and fear with the vaccine," said Denise John, director of Public Health at the Choctaw Health Center.
"We want to build up the confidence, build up their knowledge about the vaccine and for our tribal members to make an informed choice."
While vaccines have been administered at the center in Philadelphia, John says their staff is now equipped to travel into communities and vaccinate homebound residents. The Indian reservation spreads across 10 counties and is comprised of 8 communities - mostly in the east central part of the state.
