Covid-19 Updates: Mississippi Is The 2nd State to Open Vaccination to All Adults

Following a call from President Biden for all states to open vaccination to all adults, Mississippi will become the second state to do so, by May 1. The change in Mississippi takes effect Tuesday.

Gov. Tate Reeves announced on Twitter. “Get your shots, friends,” “And let’s get back to normal!”

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As vaccine production has ramped up, the pace of vaccinations in the U.S has increased, from well under one million shots per day when Mr. Biden took office, to approx 2.4 million doses per day on average. 

Key decisions by Biden’s team were responsible for quickening the manufacturing and distribution of vaccines. Now, however, the United States faces the challenge of getting those shots into all arms. Mass vaccination sites across the country are increasing their capacity, partly in response to the sudden influx of doses from the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Still, more challenges remain, including improving access in communities of color and convincing Americans about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

Although Mississippi lags in terms of the share of its population that has been vaccinated, it is doing better than its neighbors. As of Sunday, about 11 percent of Mississippians have been fully vaccinated, and almost 20 percent received at least one shot.

Mississippi had already opened eligibility further than most states, covering all people aged 50 or over, with Governor Reeves urging older residents to book appointments at the earliest. Since Mr. Biden’s inauguration, about 92.6 million vaccine doses have been administered, according to data released on Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At this pace, the country will pass 100 million doses before the end of the week.

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