Mississippi becomes 2nd state to make COVID-19 vaccine available to all residents

JACKSON, Miss. —  All Mississippi residents will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Tuesday, Gov. Tate Reeves said, making his state the second, after Alaska, to drop eligibility criteria for the shots.

“Starting tomorrow, ALL new appointments will be open to ALL Mississippians,” Reeves tweeted Monday. “Get your shot friends — and let’s get back to normal!”

Before Tuesday, vaccinations in Mississippi were available for anyone 50 or older, staff at K-12 schools, first responders, healthcare workers and those with underlying health conditions. Reeves on Monday urged those in the 50-and-up age group to make appointments before eligibility was expanded to everyone 16 and older.

“Almost 10,000 appointments available statewide over next 3 weeks,” he said. “If you’re over 50, lock them down TODAY!”

People can get vaccinated at state-run drive-thru sites in counties across the state, at private clinics and community health centers and some pharmacies, such as Walmart and Walgreens.