Booster shots available in Mississippi Co.

In the Oct. 27 Covid-19 report, Mississippi County Health Director Dr. Valencia Andrews-Pirtle confirmed that all vaccine boosters are now available at the county health units.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna booster can be received six months after the second dosage, while the Johnson and Johnson booster can be received two months after the initial vaccination. Boosters of the Moderna vaccine will be only a half dose, while Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson booster will be a full dose.

Continuing to battle vaccine hesitancy, Blytheville Mayor James Sanders also reported statistics from the Arkansas Department of Health concerning this year’s Covid cases.

“Since Feb. 1 of 2021, 86.8 percent of Covid cases have been of unvaccinated people. 88.8 percent of the hospitalizations were unvaccinated people. 87.2 of the Covid deaths have also been unvaccinated,” Sanders said. “Based on the numbers that have been identified from the ADH, not myself, you may get sick but the vaccine will prevent the death.”

Sanders reported that active cases are continuing to drop in the county with only 77 reported. However, he went on to use a term coined by governor Asa Hutchinson to remind people to remain cautious of both Covid and the flu.

“He and Dr. Ramero described it as the ‘twindemic’ with dealing both the flu and Covid seasons right now, especially with it being colder and us all congregating more inside now,” Sanders said.

Despite the low Covid number and booster becoming more available, Pirtle continued to advocate for people to wear masks. “If we could really wear our masks to a lot of these events, [it would benefit us],” Pirtle said. “Because we’re congregating more, so it makes sense and I think we’ll be ok if we do that, But everyone has to do that.”

Blytheville police chief Ross Thompson went on to double down exercising caution against the flu also.

“About a month ago, I even had a touch of it. I rarely miss a day’s work and I missed one due to the flu. We had about four people out at the same time,” Thompson said. “We even had an officer that ended up going to the hospital because of some fever issues with it. So yes, the flu season is here and it’s going to be bad as well.”