Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves held a press conference Thursday to address the state’s response to COVID-19. The conference began with an update about current COVID statistics. According to data from the Mississippi State Department of Health, Mississippi has 1,633 patients battling COVID of which 486 are in ICU beds.

“Both of these numbers now exceed the largest numbers we’ve had since the pandemic,” said Reeves.

 

In the last month, 98 percent of hospitalizations and 87 percent of deaths occurred amongst the unvaccinated. An estimated 2.5 million vaccines have been administered and 1.35 million Mississippians have received at least their first dose. Reeves said there have been some mild side effects to the vaccine.

“We should be willing to talk about the vaccine openly, but they’ve been proven time and time again to only be mild,” said Reeves about the side effects.

According to Reeves, COVID vaccines are very effective and prevent serious complications and death.

 

Sixteen counties have populations that are over 40 percent vaccinated. As of last week, 71,145 doses of the vaccine were administered in the state, the highest total since April. Reeves said if this pace continues over the next four days, between 80,000 or 90,000 additional doses will have been administered.

 

Reeves also said the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and MSDH processed 57 clinical staffing task orders.

“The goal is to have the staff arriving sometime early next week if not sooner,” said Reeves.

Mississippi has received 150 ventilators from MEMA and the MSDH expanded testing sites in mobile locations. Lowndes County has moved to testing five days a week and Lincoln County has begun mobile testing in the health department parking lot in Brookhaven two days a week.

 

Reeves then addressed the COVID situation in Mississippi school districts.

“It’s vital that our children are in school doing in-person learning,” said Reeves.

His priority is to do whatever it takes to keep children attending classes in-person. In response, last week Reeves extended the state of emergency to allow school districts access to what they need to keep their schools open.

“I want every school open every day as possible this year,” said Reeves.