When it comes to how states are ranked, Mississippi generally moves up or down the listings at a glacial pace.
There is one exception, though.
Prior to COVID, Mississippi was the most vaccinated state in the country for the MMR vaccine given to schoolchildren. While some states allowed for religious exceptions to the vaccine, Mississippi has steadfastly demanded that every public-school child be vaccinated. Various bills in the Mississippi legislature to provide a religious exception have gone nowhere. Public support for the mandated MMR vaccine remained unshakeable.
I wonder, though, if that is going to change.
Since COVD-19 vaccines were broadly available to Mississippians in January of 2021, only 51.1 percent of the state population is fully vaccinated. Only Alabama (50.4 percent) and Wyoming (50.8 percent) have a lower percentage of the population that is fully vaccinated. Among those with one dose of the vaccine, Mississippi (58.9 percent) ranked only ahead of Wyoming (58.1 percent).
Nationally, 64 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated while 76 percent have had one dose.
The medical community estimates that the vaccination rate needs to be at least 75 percent for herd immunity to be effective, so it looks as though the U.S. may reach that goal – albeit barely, if we can assume those who have had one dose will get the second.
But here in Mississippi, it’s pretty clear we’re not going to come even close to that 75 percent rate. Right now, there are about 1.4 million Mississippians walking around unvaccinated. It’s unlikely that those who have chosen not to get the first dose never will.
Those vaccination numbers are even worse for Mississippi school-aged children (5-17). Only eight percent of 5-11 year-olds have been fully vaccinated. Among the 12-17 age group, the rate is 37 percent.
Since the first vaccines were developed for the broad population 100 years ago, the overwhelming majority of Americans complied with vaccine requirements, especially — as noted above — Mississippians.
That changed with COVID, which became a victim to the intense political polarization and weak, ambiguous leadership.
Our state leaders, most notably Gov. Tate Reeves, have equivocated on the subject of vaccines, saying in one breath that vaccines work while saying in the next breath getting the vaccine is a personal choice.
From the start, the message should have been clear: “The vaccine works. Get it. End of discussion.”
The overwhelming majority of opposition to the vaccine comes from conservatives who have successfully hijacked mandated vaccines as part of its culture wars.
It’s a cynical political calculation and one that continues to have deadly consequences. The U.S. COVID death toll will soon reach 1 million. In Mississippi, 12,247 people have died of COVID. That’s a rate of 410 per 100,000, the highest death rate of any state.
How have our “leaders” responded?
You guessed it: The legislature passed a bill that grants a religious exception to any public or private employee where COVID vaccines are required as a condition of employment.
House Bill 1509 passed the Senate 36-15 on Wednesday, with Republicans in favor and most Democrats opposed. A version of the bill passed the House 74-41 in January, also mostly along party lines. Because the Senate made changes, the bill will go to final negotiations.
Way to go, legislature. This bill is like throwing a drowning man a cinder block.
It appears that after years of denying religious exemptions for the MMR vaccines required for our children to attend public schools, soon there will be a religious exemption for the COVID vaccines.
That’s what is called a precedent. It seems only a matter of time before MMR vaccines will be optional in Mississippi as well. It’s hard to make the case for one religious exemption and not the other, after all.
But, hey, just look at all that: “personal liberty” will be gaining as our children fall victim to diseases that had been all but eliminated.
I don’t understand how our priorities have gotten so messed up, but it’s clear it’s every man for himself now.
Our national motto now is “E Pluribus multis.”
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is ssmith@cdispatch.com.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is ssmith@cdispatch.com.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
