Tupelo doctor talks upcoming vaccine, urges public to mask up

Reporter Erin Wilson spoke with Dr. Jeremy Blanchard, the chief medical officer of North Mississippi Health Services, about the upcoming vaccine.

North mississippi medical center says there are two types of vaccines that could be distributed soon.

Whats interesting is that one must be stored at extremely cold temperatures to work, much colder than normal hospital equipment can reach.

"our first surge our big population were african american males.

If we look at our surge now, it's in older white men."

And dr blanchard with north mississippi medical center says the number shift is because "our first surge our big population were african american males.

If we look at our surge now, it's in older white men."

And dr blanchard with north mississippi medical center says the number shift is because of who chooses to wear a mask, and who doesn't.

He urges the community to mask up adding it may not be required much longer.

"do you want to be locked down, do you want to be quarantined, do you want us not to have an economy?

Because if you go no vaccine that's exactly what you're doing."

Nbc reports the phizer vaccine is 95% effective.

But in order to work properly it must be stored in much colder temperatures than most hospital equipment gets.

"mederna's requires sort of regular refrigeration -20 and the pfizers is much colder.

However, dr. blanchard says north mississippi medical center is prepared.

"we have set storage area we can use dry ice and that will manage that for that.

So we have storage set up and prepared."

Right now dr. blanchard says he expects the vaccine to first be available to heath care workers and then people with disabilities.

However once distributed to the community he says he feels that the vaccine is safe for everyone to take.

"i have absolutely zero reason to believe you're going to have any chronic problems or anybody will have chronic problems associated with this vaccine."

However, he says without the vaccine, the chances of developing chronic problems are high if you contract the virus.

Dr. blanchard says although a vaccine can become available as soon as later this month or next month he expects it will take a little more time for it to be available for the general public.

Reporting in tupelo, erin wilson, wtva 9 news.

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