Mississippi News
Health department seeks outside review of COVID-19 response
‘What happened?' Health department will hire an outsider to evaluate Mississippi COVID-19 response
How well did Mississippi respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? The health department is hiring an outside contractor to answer that question.
The contractor, who should start work in early November, will conduct interviews with people involved in a wide range of pandemic response efforts, from contact tracing and COVID testing to hospital operations and public information. They'll prepare an “after-action report” that will reconstruct and analyze Mississippi's response – including how well state and local agencies followed emergency response plans – and offer suggestions for improvement.
Department staff typically prepare after-action reports following disasters or public health emergencies. But because of the scope of the pandemic response, which lasted more than 800 days, the department is hiring a contractor this time, Jim Craig, senior deputy and director of health protection, said in a statement to Mississippi Today.
Craig said the report will be used to improve pandemic planning and preparedness. The department will use federal funds to pay the contractor.
Just shy of 13,000 Mississippians have died of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, according to health department data. Nearly 900,000 cases have been reported in the state.
During the first year of the pandemic, Mississippi was frequently one of the first states to loosen restrictions on masking and crowds in public places. Months after Gov. Tate Reeves lifted the state's mask mandate, as cases surged during the delta wave, he called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation for indoor masking “foolish.”
Mississippi had the highest per capita number of deaths of any state in the country, with 427 deaths for every 100,000 people, according to the New York Times. The national average was 311.
A report by the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund released in June ranked Mississippi's pandemic response last among 50 states and the District of Columbia. Mississippi scored particularly poorly in premature deaths from treatable causes – ranking 51st – and out-of-pocket medical costs for employees.
Mississippi also saw the country's highest percentage increase in the drug overdose death rate from 2019 to 2020, according to the Commonwealth Fund.
The report produced for the health department will take a closer look at the nuts and bolts of the agency's pandemic response. The analysis will answer questions including:
- “What happened? What was supposed to happen based on current plans, policies and procedures?
- Was there a difference? What was the impact?
- Do plans, policies, and procedures support activities and associated tasks?
- Are MSDH responders familiar with these documents?”
According to the request for proposals, the state recently conducted feedback sessions with regional health department team members. The results of those sessions will be shared with the contractor chosen to write the report.
The 59-page request offers a sense of the scope of the state's pandemic response, which involved thousands of people working at the health department, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), Mississippi Department of Human Services, the Mississippi State University Extension Service, the Board of Animal Health, the National Guard and the Department of Environmental Quality, as well as private contractors.
The state had operated 916 testing sites as of April 7, 2022 and processed over 3,200,000 PCR tests as of late April.
The contract will last until early November 2023 but may be renewed by the health department for an additional year.
The department also hired an outside contractor to evaluate its response to Hurricane Katrina.
“The lessons learned from the Katrina after-action report furthered the health and medical response to hurricanes in Mississippi,” Craig said.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
8 schools in our area receive ‘Military Star Schools’ recognition
SUMMARY: Eight schools in the area have been recognized by the Mississippi Department of Education as “Military Star Schools” for their support of military families and children of service members. These schools include West Lowndes Elementary and High Schools, New Hope Elementary, Middle, and High Schools, Aberdeen Elementary School, Annunciation Catholic School, and Columbus Christian Academy. Schools with this designation must have a dedicated school liaison for military families and provide professional development for staff to meet the needs of military students and families. The designation lasts for two years and was established by Governor Tate Reeves in February 2022.
The post 8 schools in our area receive ‘Military Star Schools' recognition appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Mississippi lawmakers go back and forth on education funding
SUMMARY: Mississippi lawmakers are debating public education funding before the end of the 2024 Legislative Session. The House is pushing for the INSPIRE Act, which aims to provide more funding to underfunded schools and special needs students. Opponents are urging caution in overhauling the current funding system, calling for input from experts to understand potential consequences. The Senate's plan involves making minor adjustments to the current MAEP formula. The final decision on education funding will impact the future of education in Mississippi and its impact on students.
The post Mississippi lawmakers go back and forth on education funding appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Itawamba County deputies save dog with Narcan
SUMMARY: Itawamba County deputies saved a dog during a drug bust by administering Narcan after the pup became unresponsive due to fentanyl exposure. The deputies were originally at the home on a search warrant and found Kenneth Cook and Candace Pierce in possession of meth and fentanyl with intent to distribute. Both individuals were charged and their bonds were set at $45,000 each. The dog was revived with two units of Narcan. Follow for updates on this local news story involving the rescue of the dog and the arrest of two individuals.
The post Itawamba County deputies save dog with Narcan appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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