By Randy Bell
Dec 16, 2020
Two leaders in the fight against coronavirus in Mississippi used the same term Wednesday to describe the impact of the vaccine that s now being administered to front-line health care workers. They called it the light at the end of the tunnel . During a Facebook Live session to announce a statewide Day of Prayer, Humility and Fasting this Sunday, Governor Reeves was talking about the Mississippians who have stepped up during the pandemic when he made the comment, adding that there s more work to do . And less than two hours later, the assistant vice chancellor for clinic affairs at the University of Mississippi Medical Center made the light at the end of the tunnel reference as he discussed the hospital s plan for vaccinating its employees. Dr. Alan Jones said the vaccine has given his weary staff a shot of energy .
Mississippiâs frontline healthcare workers line up for COVID-19 vaccine
Mississippiâs frontline healthcare workers line up for COVID-19 vaccine By Courtney Ann Jackson | December 16, 2020 at 7:54 PM CST - Updated January 12 at 12:13 PM
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Healthcare workers are first up on the list of eligible Mississippians to get the COVID-19 vaccine. And many are looking to lead by example.
The Mississippi State Medical Associationâs clarion call of âMask Up Mississippiâ will now be combined with âVax Up Mississippi.â
âWeâre doing this as a demonstration to let people see that we mean what we say and weâll do what we say,â explained MSMA President Dr. Mark Horne. Ten doctors rolled up their sleeves for that very reason Wednesday afternoon.
Survey: 2 of 10 school districts mulling keeping e-learning after COVID-19
About 2 in 10 US school districts have said they will continue, or are considering continuing, distance learning after the COVID-19 pandemic ends, citing student and parent demand, according to a Rand Corporation study released yesterday.
In the fall, administrators on the new American School District Panel (ASDP) said that the biggest challenges facing them in the 2020-21 school year were disparities in students access to learning opportunities during the pandemic. Rand, the Center on Reinventing Public Education, Chiefs for Change, and Kitamba developed the ASDP, a nationally representative panel of US traditional school districts and charter management organizations, to help inform school policy and practice.
Conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccine gain traction among Mississippians on social media
Combatting COVID-19 vaccine claims By C.J. LeMaster | December 15, 2020 at 8:42 PM CST - Updated January 12 at 12:39 PM
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Even though itâll be months before most Mississippians can get the coronavirus vaccine, a quick scroll through social media shows several donât want it because they donât trust it.
On Monday, when State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs and other state health department officials were first in the state to receive Pfizerâs COVID-19 vaccine, Facebook experts weighed in on the agencyâs social media post.
Mississippi hospitals overwhelmed by surge in COVID-19 cases
Last week, amidst the growing number of COVID-19 cases in Mississippi, Republican Governor Tate Reeves tweeted, “Please be extra cautious and mindful during this time. In the meantime, the best tool is the same: Wear a mask. Avoid crowds. Be smart. Protect loved ones.”
Despite admonishing the public on the surge in new infections that have seen intensive care units (ICUs) reach full capacity, Mississippi Today reported that Reeves is planning several Christmas parties at the governor’s mansion during the holiday season.
The governor’s executive order to curb the tide of COVID-19 infections issued last week restricts social gatherings to no more than 10 people indoors and no more than 50 people outdoors. While the order includes a mask mandate for all schools statewide, Reeves has resisted issuing a general statewide directive.