Tribe receiving COVID-19 vaccine
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians anticipates the arrival of the first COVID-19 vaccine this week.
The Phase 1 priority is for healthcare workers and first responders.
Choctaw Health Center has set up an ultra-low temperature freezer on site to store the recently-approved Pfizer vaccine.
The arrival of the vaccine comes at a time when COVID-19 cases continue to rise on the Reservation, as well as throughout Neshoba County.
The Tribe has 27 new COVID-19 cases within the last week compared to 18 new cases the week before. In total, 1,381 Tribal members have tested positive for COVID-19. The Tribe has reported 88 deaths from the virus, with four current hospitalizations.
For back-to-back weeks Neshoba County has tallied over 180 new cases of the virus and the total here now is 2,614. Three weeks ago, the weekly case increase was only 85 new cases.
There were also seven new deaths reported in the county within the last week, bringing the total to 132. Fourteen percent of the total deaths in the county have come within the last three weeks.
The Mississippi State Department of Health’s school report released on Tuesday for last week detailed a total of 24 student quarantines in the Neshoba County School District and 11 student quarantines in the Philadelphia Public Schools District.
In total, Neshoba Central Elementary reported 21 cases amongst students and 15 among faculty/staff since school began. Neshoba Central Middle School reported 21 cases among students and six amongst faculty/staff. Neshoba Central High School reported 39 total student cases and 11 among faculty/staff.
Philadelphia Elementary School has reported 11 total student cases since school began, with eight among faculty/staff. Philadelphia High School has reported 19 total student cases and 1-5 amongst faculty/staff.
Statewide, hospitalizations are at an all-time high at 1,188. Patients in the ICU increased from 224 on Nov. 23, to 303 on Dec. 13.
Neshoba County is among over half the counties in the state under a mandatory mask ordinance by Gov. Tate Reeves that remains in effect until Jan. 15, 2021.