COVID numbers rise before upcoming school year

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – A rise in COVID cases across the state is causing parents to make the decision: should they have their child vaccinated?

“Everybody should be you know, caring enough and responsible to want to help the people around them,” Angelia Taylor said.

Angelia Taylor plans to have her 14-year-old daughter Aliyah vaccinated. She admitted it was not an easy decision.

“I just didn’t know how the meds from the vaccine was going to affect her and her age and body weight and all that. I know as an adult, you know, we’re pretty good about taking meds but i was just kind of reluctant because of that,” Taylor said.

Taylor said Aliya will be on the Starkville high school cheer team this fall and she wants her to be protected.

“Mandates have been lifted at this point, school is going to be full-time for everybody. Being among that many people every single day, all day long, that’s a lot. So with that element, I just think it’s the best thing,” Taylor said.

The Mississippi Department of Health reported 2,326 new cases in the state over the weekend. West Point Pediatition Dr. Keith Watson said the majority of those cases are from unvaccinated people.

“The spikes are in people who are not vaccinated or in children who can’t get vaccinated but it still appears that the vaccine is preventing vaccinated people from getting seriously ill,” Watson said.

With kids going back to school in the next few weeks, Dr. Watson suggested those who are eligible get vaccinated.

“Personally if you are vaccinated, I think you can feel confident in their vaccine and you can ditch the mask. Now schools obviously, may have recommendations where even if they’re vaccinated, they need to wear them because the issue then becomes for those who are not vaccinated,” Watson said.

Watson added he has experienced very little serious illness related to COVID in his clinic.

“Our really young children do not to be affected in the same degree that our adults do. I haven’t had to do anything other than tell mom to use Tylenol and wait on this to pass because the young children have been remarkably well, even though they were sick with the illness,” Watson said.

For those children above the age of twelve and who will be attending a Starkville school this fall, a vaccine clinic will be held on July 23, 2021.

Parents can bring their children to OCH between 8 a.m. and noon with no appointment.