HERNANDO, Miss — A new five-day COVID-19 testing site opens Monday in DeSoto County due to cases overwhelming hospitals and pharmacies.
The testing site opens at the Hernando Health Department at 8:30 a.m. It will run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
According to DeSoto County officials, it's expected to handle about 200 tests per day. Appointments must be made in advance here.
DeSoto County supervisors appealed to the state last week asking for a testing site.
Officials said the number of people trying to get tested in the county was overwhelming pharmacists. Testing kits were running out and people were waiting days for their results.
At the testing site, people will receive both a Rapid test and PCR test.
DeSoto County also requested that the state set up a field hospital to relieve the number of hospitalizations.
Officials said 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.
Two field hospitals have already been set up in Jackson.
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.
For more information on how to get vaccinated in DeSoto County, click here.