DESOTO COUNTY, Mississippi — The Mississippi State Department of Health will open a free COVID-19 testing site in Desoto County starting Monday, August 23, 2021.
The site will be located at the health department at 3212 Highway 51 South in Hernando, Mississippi. Testing runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. Monday through Friday. Each person will get a rapid and a PCR test.
You can make an appointment online at COVIDschedule.umc.edu. People without internet access can make appointments by calling (601) 496-7200.
The Desoto County Board of Supervisors requested the site amid the surge in cases.
“We are thankful MSDH listed to our request for more testing,” said Supervisor Mark Gardner in a news release. “The health and welfare of everyone in DeSoto County is our greatest concern. We want to make sure they have all the services and resources they need, when they need it.”
Monday, the health department will begin administering Booster Vaccine shots/Third Doses, also in Hernando.
These vaccines are currently only available to people with the following conditions:
- Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood
- Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system
- Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
- Advanced or untreated HIV infection
- Active treatment with high-dose steroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response
You can make an appointment online at https://covidvaccine.umc.edu/ or by calling 877-978-6453.
Meanwhile, Desoto County officials say as of right now, a field hospital that was requested for the area is not happening. They said they were told there’s not enough available staff for a field hospital, and the state is working to increase staff in other hospitals currently.
Find more information about COVID-19 testing and resources on the MSDH website at HealthyMS.com.
