COVID-19 cases increasing again in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – You will not be taking note of the every day case counts as a lot as you probably did two years in the past. However COVID remains to be right here, and the circumstances are going up.

One physician famous they assume there’s a wider internet being forged with testing proper now. As a result of not that way back, people have been discounting feeling crummy, chalking it as much as allergy symptoms with pollen and the whole lot in bloom.

The numbers are nowhere near what we’ve seen at different waves of the pandemic. Nonetheless, docs are noticing that now-familiar shift.

“Positively over the previous two and a half weeks, we’ve seen a rise in constructive circumstances and a rise in contacts which have needed to are available in to be examined,” mentioned Dr. Catherine Phillippi, TrustCare Children Pediatrician.

“We’ve seen just a few positives the place we had gone weeks with out seeing a case,” famous Dr. Laura Miller, a household doctor in Prentiss.

“We’ve been seeing this for a few month,” mentioned Dr. Steve Threlkeld, Baptist Memorial Well being Care, Medical Director of Infectious Illness.

Circumstances are climbing shortly. The New York Instances comparisons present Mississippi’s circumstances have elevated by 279 p.c from the common two weeks in the past. That’s a better proportion change than wherever else within the nation.

“There are numerous individuals who counsel that there are 5 to 10 instances as many circumstances in our neighborhood as you examine from public well being sources just because so many individuals now, the overwhelming majority, I believe, aren’t calling up the well being division to inform them that their speedy take a look at that they did of their lounge is constructive,” added Dr. Threlkeld.

As a reminder, you’ll be able to report these at-home assessments to the Mississippi Division of Well being proper on their web site. However what about find out how to forestall an infection as numbers rise?

“So we’re form of on this space the place we’re transitioning from the worry that we had two years in the past to how can we stay in handle with this,” mentioned Dr. Miller. “We actually need to shield the susceptible. We need to make good choices.”

Chief amongst these good choices is getting updated in your vaccines. Simply as we speak, it was introduced that 5 to 11-year-olds are eligible for a Pfizer booster dose.

“I really feel prefer it’s gonna afford such freedom and lack of fear and worry as we let youngsters do what youngsters must do, go to camp, go on trip, be at gatherings, go to birthday events,” mentioned Dr. Phillippi. “I really feel like it is a very well timed launch of the vaccine. And from what I’ve learn, it seems to be like Pfizer truly proved that youngsters who’ve obtained a lift are 36 instances extra protected than simply the common immunized affected person.”

As a reminder, if you happen to’re over 50 or immunocompromised, you might be eligible for a second booster dose. That’s in case your first booster shot was not less than 4 months in the past.

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