Dr. James M. Riser of Riser Medical Associates of Picayune on Wednesday said that swine flu shots will be given to Poplarville students on Monday and Tuesday, that the shots are safe and that health officials are seeking to vaccinate 80 percent of the 2,194 Poplarville students on those two days.
Students receiving the vaccine need the approval of parents or a guardian, and the shots are free, Riser said.
Riser said that tentative plans call for Pearl River Central students to receive the shots on Dec. 5 and Picayune on Dec. 12. Both dates fall on Saturday. He said that the details of the vaccinations at Carriere and Picayune have not yet been fully finalized.
He said the full details will be released to the public as soon as the planning is completed.
The revised scheduled for the Poplarville vaccinations call for vaccinations to be given on Monday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Lower Elementary and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Middle School; and on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Upper Elementary and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the high school. The shots will be administered to school students only, said Riser.
The vaccinations will be administered by injection. No nasal spray will be used, and the shots will be administered by a group of qualified health caregivers under the supervision of Riser.
Dr. Riser said the 2009 H1N1 swine flu vaccine is safe.
“It was made by the same manufacturer in the same way as the regular, seasonal flu vaccine and is just as safe as the regular, seasonal flu doses,” he said. “We feel it is very safe.”
School officials throughout the State of Mississippi acted this week to begin administering the swine flu vaccine to the state’s half-million students.
A State Health Department news release on Monday said that 373,900 swine flu shots have been allocated to Mississippi.
Of that amount, 270,200 are injectable and 103,700 nasal mist.
County health clinics has been allocated 85,390 shots, and the clinics began last week administering the shots to priority groups.
Right now in Pearl River County, the only place a person can receive a swine flu shot is at the Pearl River Çounty Health Department at Carriere. A spokesperson there last week said that although priority groups are placed first in line, caregivers are not turning down anyone who requests a shot.
Allocated for schools is 51,400 doses, state health officials said.
More information is available by going to www.healthyMS.com, or calling 1-877-222-9flu.
Dr. Riser’s website is: www.risermedical.com.
Local News
Swine flu innoculations for students begin Monday
- Local News
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Inmate escapes from funeral procession
State inmate Johnny Hall, Jr., escaped from two Wilkinson County Correctional Facility officers’ custody today at approximately 12:30 p.m. while being escorted from his father’s wake at the Picayune Funeral Home in Picayune, Miss.
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REPAIRING GAS LEAK
Contract and city workers were at this gas leak on Beech Street installing a clamp.
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CAMELLIA SHOW
The Poplarville Garden Club Community Camellia Show is today in the lobby of the Poplarville branch of Hancock Bank.
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Local gas prices continue a gradual upward trend
From Monday to Thursday, the per gallon price of regular gasoline at RaceTrac jumped six cents, from $3.289 to $3.349. RaceTrac sets the pace in Pearl River County for the lowest posted price, and Wal-Mart and Bill’s Quick Stop at Mississippi Highway 43 and East Canal quickly follow.
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StennisSphere closing
StennisSphere is closing it’s doors to make way for a new tourist attraction, and to help increase security at John C. Stennis Space Center. According to a press release from Stennis, the tourist attraction officially will close in mid February.
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ENJOYING THE RAIN
These ducks weren’t phased by Wednesday’s rainy conditions.
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Picayune featured in “Blondie” comic strip
Occupy Picayune?
All Mr. Dithers wants to see occupied is Dagwood’s desk chair.
That is part of the adventures of Dagwood Bumstead, which includes a mention of the City of Picayune in Friday’s “Blondie” comic strip, which appears in the Picayune Item as a daily feature.
Picayune’s mention in Friday’s strip that also is released in other publications gives Picayune a name recognition boost worldwide, says the artist who draws the feature, Frank Cummings, a former Picayune resident and former employee of the Picayune Item. -
Man charged with burglaries
A Picayune man is facing multiple burglary charges for allegedly stealing copper and other metal items from homes, businesses and a church.
Charged is 22-year-old Wyatte Mitchell of 206 W. Sycamore Rd., said Capt. Chad Dorn with the Picayune Police Department. -
STREET WORK
Motorists wanting to turn down Fifth Avenue at its intersection with U.S. Hwy. 11 are having to detour as the turn lane was blocked on Tuesday as city work crews repaired the street.
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DOWN, DOWN, DOWN
Demolition of the A.L. Franklin Annex is complete. The work took about a week and was at this point on Friday. The demolition makes way for an addition to the historic city hall.
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