Covid cases dip; still high

While covid-19 number took a slight dip the past week, cases are still high in Mississippi County and across the state.

Blytheville Mayor James Sanders reported 969 active cases in the county in his Wednesday report, with 89,572 active cases in the state as a whole. While all Northeast Arkansas counties saw decreases as well, local officials are continuing the call for caution.

Craighead County recorded 3,178 active cases, Crittenten held 891. Greene reported 1,618 and Poinsett totaled 691.

Sanders stated that city hall still has antigen test kits free of charge for anyone in the community. These are presumptive kits intended to help citizens identify a case of covid-19 should they begin to experience symptoms.

“You don’t have to have symptoms to come pick up a kit. As a matter of fact, we hope that you don’t have symptoms when you come get one,” Sanders said. “So while you're feeling good, come grab a few and leave them in your medicine cabinet. If someone in your family starts to feel ill, go grab that test kit to see if they are symptoms of covid or maybe just sinuses or the common cold.”

He also added that the fully vaccinated rate for the county is 41.1 percent, with a partial rate of 8.3 percent.

County health officer Dr. Valencia Andrews-Pirtle added that the citizens should wait five days after experiencing symptoms to take the at-home test. This will ensure the most accurate results.

The current kits available have been provided through the Arkansas Department of Health. Additional kits can be requested federally by any resident at covidtests.org. Sanders added that as long as the local demand remains, the state will continue to provide kits. If the demand decreases, the federal supply will become the primary option for citizens.

Pirtle also reported an increase in children cases across the state, which have also come with an additional side effects.

“There’s been an issue with some kids[who contract covid] having a need for insulin. It’s a weird thing. There was a theory in medical school that pediatric cases of things like diabetes were caused by having a virus,” Pirtle said. “Just make sure you protect your kids by getting vaccinated, have the children vaccinated, get your booster and continue wearing a mask.”

“Our children’s infection rate is high here in Arkansas. And we don’t know what long term effects are going to be on our kids,” Pirtle added.