Uptick in Covid cases here

Active Covid-19 cases in Mississippi County have increased for a second week after seeing a steady decline in the previous month.

Blytheville Mayor James Sanders reported 139 active cases in his Wednesday report, up from 84 in the previous week. Sanders and Mississippi County health officer Dr. Valencia Andrews-Pirtle urged the community to be mindful as numbers increase, despite cases being down previously.

“We’re telling you that Covid cases are increasing across the state. Be vigilant. You may not want to wear your mask if these numbers are down and you may be a little lax about it,” Sanders said. “But when these numbers are starting to peak and get high, I just want you all to be more concerned and take precautions.”

Pirtle spoke about the rise in case she has seen, and also her concern with temperatures dropping and indoor events increasing.

“I think we relaxed a lot. It was great going to events outside, football games, etc,” Pirtle said. “But I’m very concerned about the schools going away from the mask requirement. With basketball season starting and being indoors, my feeling is that you should be required to wear a mask. It makes me really worried to think about sitting in a gymnasium with a bunch of people not wearing a mask.”

She later added, “We don’t want to go backward. But when it gets colder, people do more things inside. That’s the part that worries me with people not masking up and not being vaccinated. That’s a bad combination.”

Vaccinations are continuously available at health departments and local pharmacies throughout the county and state. Anyone who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines more than six months ago are eligible to receive a booster as well.

Johnson & Johnson boosters are also available just two months after the initial dosage.

Gosnell Drugs also announced that they will be at the Gosnell School District administration pediatric vaccines on Dec. 8 with parent’s signed consent forms. Pediatric vaccines for ages 5-11 can also be received at local health departments.