Mississippi Edition

A leading pediatrician responds to the approval of the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 year olds.

Then, with vaccination rates declining statewide, we examine hesitancy in a rural, majority white community.

Plus, we hear from the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health on the special enrollment period for health coverage though the ACA marketplace.

Segment 1:

Parents in Mississippi can begin scheduling a coronavirus vaccination for children age 12 to 15. The Pfizer coronavirus vaccine has received emergency use authorization from the FDA, and has now gained approval by the CDC for use in the adolescent age group. The decision comes at a time of declining vaccination rates in Mississippi. Health officials say around a quarter of the state's nearly three million residents are under the age of 16. Dr. Anita Henderson is President of the Mississippi Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She tells our Kobee Vance the authorization means clinics and hospitals already offering the Pfizer shot can begin vaccinating eligible children now. 

Segment 2:

Mississippi, along with Louisiana and Alabama, have the lowest coronavirus vaccination rates in the country. That’s according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Gulf States Newsroom health reporter Shalina Chatlani has been following this story and traveled to North Mississippi to ask people why they were against the shot. She’s joining me today to talk about some of those conversations. 

Segment 3:

The White House is celebrating a public health milestone this week. New enrollment for health coverage during a special period made possible through President Biden's American Rescue Plan has topped one million Americans. The legislation also lowered premiums for nine million Americans who buy their coverage through the Affordable Care Act, and also reduced deductibles by nearly 90 percent. Dr. Rachel Levine is the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health. She tells our Michael Guidry the special enrollment period is one step in the administration's goal of making health care a right - not a privilege.