The university will continue to only allow on-campus vaccination for employees, following Gov. Tate Reeves’s announcement that vaccines will be available for all Mississippi residents starting March 16.
Eligible individuals for appointments with UM’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic include faculty, staff, graduate students and undergraduate student workers. Employees at the university’s regional campuses are also included.
“Appointments are limited to the supply on hand, and we have requested additional supply from the Mississippi State Department of Health,” an email from the Office of the Provost to the university community read on Monday.
Pharmacy students and registered physicians will administer the Pfizer vaccine inside the Tad Smith Coliseum on three days this week: Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Almost 10,000 vaccination appointments are available statewide through the Mississippi State Department of Health, according to Reeves. In a post on Twitter, Reeves urged Mississippians who are over fifty years old to schedule vaccine appointments on Monday because availability will likely become more limited when appointments are open to a wide population.
Prior to Reeves’s announcement, the vaccine was open to anyone over 50, anyone over 16 with an underlying medical condition, K-12 teachers and staff, preschool and childcare workers, first responders, long-term care facility residents and staff, healthcare personnel and EMT/paramedics.
According to the Mississippi Department of Health, over 888,000 vaccines have been administered in the state, and 323,819 people have been fully vaccinated. 22,137 vaccine doses have been administered in Lafayette County.
