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Our Stories on COVID-19
Mississippi public-health officials are urging some vaccinated residents to begin wearing masks again and to avoid large crowds as the more contagious COVID-19 Delta variant spreads across the state.
More than 1,000 young Mississippians in the state’s foster-care system, as well as recent graduates, are currently eligible for significant financial assistance from the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services.
The Mississippi State Department of Health reported 427 new COVID-19 cases for July 7—the most for any one day since March 13. After a months-long plateau, novel coronavirus cases and hospitalizations are once again rising in the Magnolia State after the more contagious Delta variant became the state’s dominant strain last month.
As the Delta variant begins to race through the United States, the White House Coronavirus Task Force is warning that unvaccinated populations are especially at risk from the virulent new strain of COVID-19. That includes young adults who previously displayed a healthy resistance to the worst effects of the virus.
As the state starts to emerge from the 16-month darkness of the pandemic—which saw 16% of Mississippians unemployed at its peak—the eviction crisis has the potential to become even worse. The Aspen Institute estimates that 58% of Mississippi renters will be at risk of homelessness by the end of 2021.
State health officials are warning of the growing Delta variant of COVID-19, a strain of the virus experts have identified as significantly more infectious and potentially more lethal than wild-type coronavirus.
I take immense pride in my Indian heritage. To be born into the crossroads of a culture that encapsulates the epitome of tradition and a country that represents a beacon of freedom has afforded me the liberty of drawing from both in order to cultivate the perfect individual character. But my extended distance from India over the last two years has compelled me to ponder the nuances of inheriting the former legacy. I began to ponder a crucial question: To what extent is it my responsibility as a first-generation American to uphold my cultural traditions?
Dr. Jill Biden has joined Mississippi’s effort to bolster its struggling vaccination campaign, visiting a vaccination site at Jackson State University today and encouraging the public to protect themselves and their community with shots.
In Mississippi, our drug laws have often fallen in simultaneous step with the War on Drugs. Yet, drug use is increasing, overdose rates are higher than ever, and thousands of families have a loved one currently incarcerated on a non-violent drug charge in the Mississippi prison system.Â
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