Dobbs and Byers on coronavirus deaths and the holidays

State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs said the coronavirus is exhausting the healthcare system, and he is asking people to be safe over the holidays.

Deaths are still rising across mississippi... today, state health officer dr. thomas dobbs and dr. paul byers spoke in a zoom conference.

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Some key topics were deaths and coronavirus vaccines... wtva's bronson woodruff is joining us now live from tupelo to explain what this means going into the christmas holiday.

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In today's zoom meeting, both dr. dobbs and byers stressed that coroanvirus cases are up, which in turn, is leading to more coronavirus deaths.

Byers said they're afraid of what case numbers could look like after the holidays.

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"these are astounding numbers."

In a 2-week period ending on december 17th, byers said the department of health reported 313 coronavirus deaths, 14 more than the previous 2-week period.

Dobbs said the holidays are prime times when the coronavirus spreads.

He said hospitals are exceededing their average daily i-c-u use and daily ventilator use and this is before the holiday season.

He advised that for holiday celebrations, people should stay with their immediate family.

He also advised church services right now should be virtual, especially for people over 65.

Standup: "one thing dobbs is warning people about going into the holidays is the "silent super-spreaders."

That' the person at the dinner table who looks and feels just fine, but is actually spreading it to everyone around."

For the vaccine distribution plan, dobbs explained right now, we are in phase 1-a.

This will last for several weeks, and is involving people such as healthcare workers, and long-term care residents.

They distributed 12,600 pfizer doses to 5 major health systems , dobbs said.

They are sending 60,000 pfizer doses to residents and employees in long-term care settings.

This week, he added the moderna vaccine will go to all other hospitals in mississippi for them to vaccinate over the next couple of weeks.

Dobbs spoke highly of both vaccines.

"we are very excited to have access to a highly-effective, very safe vaccine, that could really push this covid pandemic down on its knees."

Starting the beginning of january, dobbs explained more maderna vaccine will be available through healthcare workers through 18 health department drive-through clinics.

He said they may make it more than that, that they're still working on additional sites.

Going into the christmas season, dobbs is asking people to be careful.

"please be safe in the holidays, be thoughtful of others, and beware of the silent super- spreaders because we're gonna see a lot of that, but there are things you can do to prevent it."

Doctor dobbs said this pandemic is proving the healthcare system is an exhaustible resource, and that we have essentially exahausted it.

To help curve this trend, he is sincerely asking people to be safe over the next couple of weeks.

Live in tupelo, bronson woodruff, wtva nine news.

Older adults and front-line essential workers will be next in line to receive covid-19 vaccines... the centers for disease