As COVID-19 cases decline in Mississippi and in Lauderdale County, the state health officer is urging residents of the state to continue to practice public health measures.

“We do not need to use this as an opportunity to let our guard down,” said Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the state health officer. “Just because we’re making progress, that doesn’t mean that we can quit doing those simple things that prevent transmission.”

Dobbs said that people should wear a mask when they are in public and around other individuals. He also urged Mississippi residents to keep social gatherings small and outdoors.

“We have an opportunity right now to get as many people vaccinated as possible,” he said, “and try to get a lid on this thing in the state of Mississippi.”

Health care workers, long-term care facility residents and staff, people at least 65 years old and people with certain medical conditions are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in Mississippi.

The state has been vaccinating many people at drive-thru vaccination sites. It also has provided COVID-19 vaccine to hospitals, some private clinics, community health centers and other locations. CVS Health and Walgreens have been vaccinating long-term care facility residents and staff.

Additionally, 31 Walmart stores in the state will start offering COVID-19 vaccines soon to people who are eligible for vaccination.

The Mississippi State Department of Health reported on Monday that 334,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to Mississippians. 271,310 of these doses were first doses.

MSDH reported that 7,703 Lauderdale County residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

COVID-19 case and death numbers

Mississippi reported on Monday 635 new cases of the coronavirus and one new COVID-19 related death, bringing the state’s totals to 282,313 cases and 6,270 deaths.

In Lauderdale County, 11 new cases and no additional deaths were reported on Monday. The county has reported 6,541 cases of COVID-19 and 214 COVID-19 related deaths since March.

Case and death numbers for local counties are listed below.

Clarke County: one new case; 1,609 total cases since March. No additional deaths; 66 total deaths since March.

Newton County: seven new cases; 2,125 total cases. No additional deaths; 49 total deaths since March.

Kemper County: one new case; 859 total cases. No additional deaths; 21 total deaths since March.

Neshoba County: seven new cases; 3,630 total cases. No additional deaths; 164 total deaths since March.

MSDH presumed that 238,176 people had recovered from COVID-19 as of Jan. 31. The department also reported that there are 143 ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 in long-term-care facilities.

COVID-19 data for Mississippi counties

County	Total Cases	Total Deaths
Adams	2256	74
Alcorn	2864	59
Amite	1084	31
Attala	2034	67
Benton	908	24
Bolivar	4430	112
Calhoun	1516	25
Carroll	1118	23
Chickasaw	1967	49
Choctaw	679	14
Claiborne	955	28
Clarke	1609	66
Clay	1749	45
Coahoma	2650	59
Copiah	2668	53
Covington	2362	73
De Soto	18838	217
Forrest	6701	134
Franklin	735	19
George	2203	43
Greene	1209	31
Grenada	2352	74
Hancock	3237	70
Harrison	15747	244
Hinds	18086	362
Holmes	1785	69
Humphreys	890	26
Issaquena	164	6
Itawamba	2823	69
Jackson	11838	208
Jasper	1992	40
Jefferson	601	25
Jefferson Davis	958	31
Jones	7507	132
Kemper	859	21
Lafayette	5568	108
Lamar	5467	69
Lauderdale	6541	214
Lawrence	1153	18
Leake	2469	68
Lee	9443	153
Leflore	3261	115
Lincoln	3303	97
Lowndes	5849	130
Madison	9162	186
Marion	2438	76
Marshall	3811	87
Monroe	3903	119
Montgomery	1168	36
Neshoba	3630	164
Newton	2125	49
Noxubee	1195	27
Oktibbeha	4290	88
Panola	4117	88
Pearl River	3856	117
Perry	1108	32
Pike	2893	89
Pontotoc	3992	65
Prentiss	2636	56
Quitman	755	12
Rankin	12146	243
Scott	2827	60
Sharkey	484	17
Simpson	2566	77
Smith	1444	27
Stone	1641	28
Sunflower	3073	81
Tallahatchie	1662	37
Tate	2907	67
Tippah	2665	58
Tishomingo	2064	64
Tunica	947	23
Union	3791	70
Walthall	1209	39
Warren	3990	110
Washington	5071	125
Wayne	2376	40
Webster	1040	24
Wilkinson	613	25
Winston	2166	74
Yalobusha	1366	36
Yazoo	2758	59
Total	282,313	6,270