Memorial to hold vaccine event as COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations rise

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - COVID-19 hospitalizations are on the rise in Mississippi and, according to State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs, “most of these are preventable.” Health officials say vaccination and boosters are still the best tool we have to protect people and communities from COVID-19.

This week, Memorial Health is teaming up with the Gulfport NAACP branch to hold a community vaccination event where anyone 12 and older will be able to receive a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination.

• Free Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations/boosters
• Wednesday, July 13, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
• Isiah Fredericks Community Center (3312 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Gulfport)

If you can’t make it to Wednesday’s event, you can find a vaccination/booster provider near you here: https://bit.ly/3nRb43R

Here’s a closer look at those hospitalization numbers. As of July 7, 2022, 295 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized in Mississippi. That patient number has almost tripled in the last month.

As we continue to move toward COVID-19 becoming an endemic part of our lives, it’s important to remember that we’re not there yet. The virus can still have very serious consequences, especially depending on your age and prior health. Most COVID-19 related deaths are among Mississippians age 65 and older. Following a drop in 2021, there’s been a steady rise in deaths among that group since last summer.

Dr. Dobbs urges anyone in this age group who is feeling COVID-19 symptoms to get tested and get treated right away.

Oral antiviral therapies Paxlovid (Pfizer) and molnupiravir (Merck) are two FDA authorized treatments now available. They work by targeting specific proteins on the SARS-CoV-2 virus to help prevent the virus replicating within the body. But it’s important that patients start taking the medication within 5 days of seeing symptoms.

As of Friday, July 8, state-licensed pharmacists in Mississippi are now authorized to prescribe Paxlovid to eligible patients over the age of 12.

Read more about which patients qualify here: https://bit.ly/3PhLAse

In addition to oral medications, monoclonal antibodies remain an effective treatment option for many patients by helping boost the body’s natural immune system. This treatment will require an order from your healthcare provider who can tell you if it’s right for you.

Read more about how Evusheld works and a list of Mississippi providers here: https://bit.ly/3OXpBqt

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