Five individuals associated with the Mississippi State Department of Health were the first Mississippians vaccinated against COVID-19 on Dec. 14. Hospitals are expected to begin vaccinating key medical staff throughout the week, although it’s not clear when it will be available in Northeast Mississippi. The state’s Chief Health Officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, head epidemiologist, Dr. Paul Byers, and three others all received the Pfizer vaccine. Marsha Tapscott, a spokesperson for North Mississippi Health Services, told the Daily Journal that the NMHS system had not yet received its share of the vaccine, and wasn’t certain when it will be available. NMHS is one of the largest rural healthcare providers in the county. University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson has outlined plans to begin making its supply of 3,900 doses available to staff on Wednesday. NMHS is developing its own protocols. “We are still working out the distribution plan,” said Tapscott. NMHS does possess the capacity for the required ultra-cold storage, she said. Many hospitals in the state don’t have ultra-cold storage capacity. MSDH leadership said Monday they’d coordinate with those hospitals to help handle logistics, if needed. The Pfizer vaccine requires two shots, about three or four weeks apart, but Mississippi’s initial doses will be used only as a first shot, with additional supply expected weekly. A different vaccine manufactured by Moderna may also be available beginning next week, if federal authorities grant approval for emergency use. (Source: Daily Journal 12/14/20) COVID-19 vaccine arrives in Mississippi, first shots given | State Government | djournal.com The first doses of Pfizer’s vaccine arrived at three Alabama hospitals Monday, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. DPH would not disclose which hospitals received shipments due to security concerns. Cullman Regional Medical Center announced it had a shipment. Twelve other hospitals are expected to receive vaccines Tuesday. (AL.com) UPDATE2: Baptist Memorial Hospital: Golden Triangle in Columbus will be among the facilities who have made special preparations for cold-storing the inoculations. The hospital is set to get 500 doses of the Moderna vaccine on December 21st, but it’s the Pfizer vaccine that requires special preparation. (Source: WCBI 12/14/20) How Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle will store Pfizer vaccine (wcbi.com) Golden Triangle hospitals will begin receiving shipments of COVID-19 vaccine as early as Monday, according to officials from area hospitals.UPDATE3: OCH Regional Medical Center in Starkville is set to receive 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine from MSDH on Dec. 21.
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