fbpx
Connect with us

Mississippi News

COVID-19: Health department reviews guidance for schools

Published

on

Health department  reviewing COVID-19 guidance for schools after CDC updates recommendations

The Mississippi Department of is reevaluating its guidance for K-12 schools the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) loosening its own recommendations on Aug. 11. 

The new CDC guidance further emphasizes individual risk mitigation over population-level precautions. 

“We know that COVID-19 is here to stay,” Greta Massetti, a CDC epidemiologist, said at a press conference following the release of the new guidance. “High levels of population immunity due to vaccination and previous infection, and the many tools that we have available to protect people from severe illness and death, have put us in a different place.”

Over the course of the pandemic, COVID-19 has infected over 896,000 and killed nearly 13,000. Mississippi has the highest per capita death rate from COVID-19 of any in the nation, with 427 deaths for every 100,000 people, to a national average of 311, according to the New York Times. 

CDC guidance no longer differentiates between vaccinated and unvaccinated people in its recommendations. Mississippi remains one of the least vaccinated states in the nation, only ahead of Wyoming, according to CDC data. Just 53% of the state’s population has been fully vaccinated and only 21% have received a booster dose. 

The state health department’s COVID-19 guidance for the current school year was released in July. In its current form, it recommends actions no longer included in CDC guidelines. 

The CDC a recommendation that kids who are contacts of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 take regular tests, and test negative, to remain in the classroom. The was known as “test-to-stay.” 

Schools in Mississippi are able to receive at-home BinaxNOW COVID-19 tests through its  School Based Screening Testing Initiative. One of the uses for these tests is test-to-stay initiatives, and the department recommends that asymptomatic teachers and students receive a negative test on days one, three and five after exposure to remain in the classroom.

“MSDH is aware of the updated guidance from CDC and is currently reviewing to determine the modifications and updates that will be needed in Mississippi’s guidance to schools moving forward,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said.

The CDC no longer recommends a practice known as cohorting in schools. In cohorting, students are divided into smaller groups and contact between them is limited to avoid potential transmission. 

The new guidelines note that schools should consider continuing surveillance testing in certain situations, such as when students are returning from school breaks or for certain groups at higher risk of transmitting the virus, such those who play contact sports.

Indoor masking is still recommended for areas with high levels of community transmission.

The new CDC guidance no longer recommends quarantining after exposure, but instead wearing a high-quality mask for 10 days and testing on day 5 after exposure. The new guidance also removed the recommendation for social distancing by standing six feet apart from others. 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Mississippi sees 5th largest increase in fatal crashes: study

Published

on

www.wjtv.com – Garret Grove – 2024-11-02 12:25:00

SUMMARY: A recent study highlights a troubling rise in road fatalities in Mississippi, with a nearly 31% increase in fatal accidents from 2012 to 2021, ranking it fifth highest in the country. The reported a spike during the 2024 Labor Day , responding to seven fatal crashes resulting in 15 deaths, to only three crashes and six deaths in 2021. Additionally, a 2023 showed Mississippi had the highest per capita fatal crashes during the Christmas period. Young drivers are particularly affected, as Mississippi ranks fifth for teenage driving fatalities nationwide.

Read the full article

The post Mississippi sees 5th largest increase in fatal crashes: study appeared first on www.wjtv.com

Continue Reading

Mississippi News

Vicksburg man charged with assaulting woman in domestic dispute

Published

on

www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-02 11:33:00

SUMMARY: In Vicksburg, Mississippi, a domestic assault led to the hospitalization of a man and woman on November 2. were alerted by Merit Region after a 28-year-old man, Daron Evans, arrived with a stab wound. Authorities dispatched to the scene found the woman, who had also been assaulted. After receiving treatment, Evans was and charged with aggravated assault domestic violence; he is held without bond until his court appearance. The woman is in stable at the . An investigation is ongoing.

Read the full article

The post Vicksburg man charged with assaulting woman in domestic dispute appeared first on www.wjtv.com

Continue Reading

Mississippi News

Cloudy and humid weekend – Home – WCBI TV

Published

on

www.wcbi.com – Sadie Morris – 2024-11-02 10:13:00

SUMMARY: In Columbus, Mississippi, humid and cloudy weather is expected, with temperatures remaining above average in the lower 80s for the upcoming . Rain is forecasted for Election Day on Tuesday, continuing into the week with isolated showers likely. This Saturday will see patchy fog in the morning, clearing by midday, with a high around 80 degrees. Sunday will bring similar humidity, with a high in the lower 80s and mild overnight lows in the mid-60s. Throughout the week, expect persistent clouds and humidity alongside mild temperatures.

Read the full article

The post Cloudy and humid weekend – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com

Continue Reading

Trending