Share
Mississippi Edition
4/9/21 - Conversation with State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs | Migrant Works Pleas for Protection
Overall coronavirus cases are trending down. Vaccine rollout is now in its fifth month. We talk to the State Health Officer about how Mississippi is faring in its year long fight against COVID-19.
Plus, migrant workers profoundly affected by the ICE raid of 2019, are calling on action from the Biden Administration.
Segment 1:
Vaccines for COVID-19 have been available to all Mississippi residents 18 and over for more than three weeks now, but the effort to educate and encourage vaccination has been a five month endeavor for the Department of Health. Still, despite being one of only a few states to offer widen availability, the rate of Mississippians receiving at least one dose is below the national average. About one in every four Mississippi residents have gotten one shot - a rate that falls eight points below the national average of 33 percent.
State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs says hesitancy and access have been the two most significant challenges in getting the state to the roughly 80 percent rate needed to reach a level of herb immunity. In part one of our conversation, we discuss vaccine hesitancy, access, the question of booster shots.
Segment 2:
During the winter wave of coronavirus cases and deaths, residents in long term care facilities were especially hard-hit. The number of outbreaks in those facilities reached their highest points in January, right when vaccine distribution began in the state. Now, three months later, outbreaks and deaths within that group has declined significantly. We pick up our conversation with State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs discussing the vaccine effort in long term care facilities, and how a recent health grant from the CDC can help Mississippi continue it's fight against COVID-19.
Segment 3:
Advocates for immigrant workers in Mississippi are calling on the Biden administration to overturn policies that target undocumented immigrant communities. They say the President can start by protecting those affected by the 2019 ICE raids. Yesterday, those advocates gathered outside the Department of Labor's capital city office to deliver a letter to the Wage and Hour Division, urging the Biden administration to create protections for immigrant workers
More episodes
View all episodes
04/28/2025: Sexual Violence Symposium | Washington Cuts | Medicaid and Elder Care
24:16|Sexual violence is not rare in Mississippi. A coalition of advocates are trying to help folks stay safe and access resources after an attack.Then, Mississippi's 2nd district congressman shares his thoughts about the ongoing budget cuts and tariff discussions happening in Washington.Plus, cuts are being proposed for Medicaid. It's a program many rely on to afford elder care, and providers say it's making their jobs more challenging.
04/25/2025: Childcare Funding | Congressional Feedback | Jazz Fest Headliner
24:10|Parents, childcare workers and advocates are calling on the state Department of Human Services to provide funding after abrupt cuts made in Washington.Then, 2nd District Congressman Bennie Thompson holds a town hall meeting to talk about policy changes by the Trump Administration.Plus, For the first time rap superstar Lil Wayne headlines the Jazz Fest beginning this weekend in New Orleans. Hear why this is a big deal for other rappers in the city.
4/24/2025: Body Donations | Rosa Scott Marker | Student Loan Repayment
23:49|The Mississippians who have donated their bodies to science are honored.Then, a new marker helps tell the story of Rosa Scott, a pioneer in education for African Americans who helped establish a school. We speak with the teacher who spearheaded the effort to erect a historic marker in her honor. Plus, A pause on collecting student loan debt has been lifted. One Mississippian shares her experience about her experience trying to pay back the loans.
04/23/2025: Air Quality Report | Real ID Deadline | Auto Trade and Tariffs
23:15|An air quality report shows major signs of pollution in some parts of Mississippi.Then, a deadline nears for air travelers to have a Real ID driver's license or identification card to fly.Plus, trade wars helped build the South’s massive auto industry. But historians say don’t expect the same results from today’s tariffs.
04/22/2025: Mourning Pope Francis | Bonne Carre Spillway | Catastrophe Savings Accounts
23:47|Mississippians celebrate the legacy of Pope John Francis. He died yesterday at the age of 88.Then, Conservationists urge the Army Corps of Engineers to use measured steps in opening the Bonne Carre Spillway. Engineers want to prevent flooding from the Mississippi River. Plus, we speak with the state Insurance Commissioner about catastrophe savings accounts and how they can be helpful after a disaster.
4/21/2025: BP Oil Spill | 50501 Protest | Free STD Testing Ends
23:51|Fifteen years ago today, the BP oil spill, the largest in history oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly 3 months. Environmentalists say the disaster is still being cleaned up.Then, protesters gather at the state Capitol in Jackson to protest Trump Administration policies and call forCongress to rein in the executive branch.Plus, the Mississippi Department of Health ends free sexually transmitted infections testing due to federal funding cuts.
4/18/2025: Mississippi River Endangered | Head Start Mississippi | Elder Care Access
24:14|The Mississippi River has been listed as one of the most endangered rivers in the nation. Local officials say cutbacks in disaster relief is at the core of the problem.Then, federal cuts to early childhood funding could hinder many Mississippi families from accessing pre-k education.Plus what resources are helping Mississippians access elder care? It's a process that's often difficult and costly.
04/17/2025: Redistricting in DeSoto County | Farish Street Groundbreaking | New Orleans Flooding
23:40|Federal judges order the State Election Commission to redraw voting lines in the DeSoto County area again.Then, the City of Jackson breaks ground on affordable housing in the historic Farish Street community, once a bustling black neighborhood.Plus, Residents in the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans are trying to address serious flooding that's plagued the area for years.
04/16/2025: Childcare Subsidies | MOGE | Museum Curation
23:58|Parents and childcare providers are worried that the loss of an early education subsidy could jeopardize access to affordable care and put centers out of business.Then, Mississippi's State Auditor shares a new report claiming there's more than $400 million in wasteful state spending by state agencies.Plus, hear what it takes to curate a museum and share Mississippi culture with the world.