Vaccinations were being given at Panola Medical Center last week, and will be administered there and at the Batesville Civic Center parking lot going forward

Some 191 new cases of coronavirus infections have been officially reported in Panola County, with two deaths, in the past seven days. Emergency Operations Director Daniel Cole told the Board of Supervisors at their Monday meeting the Mississippi State Department of Health has approved county for more testing and additional vaccination days.

The state began giving vaccine shots at the Panola County Health Department last Wednesday and Friday of this week. Testing and vaccinations are now being done at the Batesville Civic Center also which has a much larger parking lot to accommodate more people per day.

As of now, first shot vaccinations are being given to residents 65 and older who register online at covidvaccine.umc.edu. Also eligible for registration now are individuals 18 years and over with underlying medical conditions. Next week, teachers and some other government employees can begin making reservations online.

People who received their first shots last week were able to make appointments for the second dose beginning late Monday afternoon this week. Those will begin in Batesville on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

As of Monday evening, the state’s data said 3,509 Panola County residents have tested positive for Covid-19 since March 11, and 73 people have died. Statewide, 241,957 people have contracted coronavirus and 5,284 patients have died.