High Community COVID-19 Levels continue in many Mississippi counties.
Published 12:49 pm Wednesday, August 10, 2022
| Counties with High Community Levels of COVID-19 activity have specific recommendations for safety.
Check the COVID-19 Community Level in your county
(CDC)
Ages: COVID-19 infection occurs in all age groups, but older Mississippians are the most likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19. As of August 8, 302 individuals are currently under hospital care for COVID-19.
Latest hospitalization trends |
Testing is Important
Get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms. Testing can detect disease early and limit the spread to others. MSDH offers free COVID-19 testing around the state, and free home test kits from any county health department.
Schedule a free COVID-19 test
Get Boosted
Being fully vaccinated with boosters is the best protection against severe COVID-19 illness. You can get a booster dose if it’s been more than 5 months since your last regular COVID-19 vaccination (2 months if you received Johnson & Johnson vaccine). If you’re 50 or older, or have a weakened immune system, you should get a booster dose 4 months after your regular vaccinations.
Anyone 6 months and older can be vaccinated, and boosters are available for ages 5 and up.
COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are available at county health departments at no cost.
COVID-19 Hotline: 877-978-6453 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. – noon) Hearing impaired? Dial 711 first.
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Free Home COVID-19 Test Kits
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Families can receive up to 8 free COVID-19 home tests (4 kits with two tests each) per month simply by picking them up at any county health department while supplies last. These rapid antigen tests are convenient, and can let you get treatment and protect others quickly should you become ill with COVID-19.
Find a county health department near you
Homebound? Order free kits by mail at www.covid.gov |
Report your home test kit results
If you or a family member has a new positive test result for COVID-19 found with a home test kit, please use our online form to help us track COVID-19 in Mississippi.
Report a positive home test now
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Monkeypox Update
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Additional monkeypox cases have been identified in Mississippi, and the number of cases is likely to increase over time.
Monkeypox is spread by close skin-to-skin contact, including sex. Transmission can also occur by touching clothing, bedding or towels of an infected person, or inhaling respiratory droplets during prolonged close contact with an infected person. |
Signs and Symptoms
Monkeypox infection can cause fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache, and muscle aches, followed by a rash that starts out as flat and then advances to pimples, blisters or ulcers on the face, body and sexual organs. Symptoms can last for several weeks, and monkeypox is contagious throughout this time.
Protection
- Be aware of any unusual or new rashes or skin blisters you may have. Have any symptoms examined by a doctor, and avoid skin-to-skin contact with others in the meantime.
- Make sure that anyone you have close or intimate contact with is aware of symptoms to look for.
More about monkeypox and prevention
U.S. monkeypox cases
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Inspections
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MSDH regularly inspects food facilities, child care facilities, and others for safety and regulatory compliance. The latest results and violation reports for these inspections can be found on our website.
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What We Do
A sample of services and programs of the Mississippi State Department of Health
Infant Mortality Surveillance
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One of Mississippi’s major public health challenges is infant mortality – the death of a baby before the age of one year. Mississippi continues to have one of the highest rates of infant mortality and low-birthweight babies in the nation. |
To help reduce infant mortality, our Infant and Maternal Mortality Surveillance program gathers data on infant deaths and the factors which lead to them. This information is then used by public health programs to help keep mothers healthier during pregnancy and to identify infant health problems sooner so that newborn are better able to thrive in their first year of life.
More about Infant Mortality Surveillance
Child Death Review Reports
Having a Healthier Baby
