Mississippi residents who are 65 and older and those with preexisting conditions will now be eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Tate Reeves announced Tuesday.

The announcement comes less than a week after the state made vaccinations available for Mississippians 75 and older. Mississippi set up drive-thru sites for vaccinations across the state. The vaccine is also available at some private clinics.

The development means the vaccine is available to health care workers, those 65 and older and individuals with health conditions. Reeves said teachers will be on the list of those next eligible.
“We are working ahead of schedule, but we are never working fast enough,” the Republican governor said Tuesday at a media briefing.

The state Health Department reported Tuesday that Mississippi had 1,648 new confirmed cases of the virus as of Monday evening. The department also reported 98 deaths Tuesday, 52 of which happened between Jan. 5 and Monday. The state has reported nearly 241,957 cases of the virus and 5,284 related deaths since the start of the pandemic.

People eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine can make an appointment at COVIDvaccine.umc.edu or by calling the COVID-19 call center at 1-877-978-6453.