Mississippi has never seen a spike in COVID-19 cases during the pandemic. Although the omicron variant of the virus is more contagious than any other variants, evidence suggests it causes fewer severe symptoms and illnesses. Although hospitalizations and deaths are slow indicators, they have been much less prominent in the omicron waves so far. The number of COVID-19-related patients admitted to ICUs has nearly risen by 107% in the last two weeks. The 54% increase in patients who are on ventilators is a result of this. In an email, Marc Rolph, executive director of communications marketing and communications at the University of Mississippi Medical Center stated that the number of COVID-19 patients in ICU care has not increased at the same pace as the increase in overall patient counts. He also said that the severity of COVID-19 related cases, including those in ICU, is lower than in previous surges. Although Mississippi hospitals are not as overwhelmed as they were last year during the delta wave, patients who need care at home or in hospitals will have limited options due to a national shortage of antiviral and monoclonal antibodies treatments. Sotrovimab is the only monoclonal antibody treatment approved in the United States that has been tested against omicron. Mississippi was only able to receive 283 doses this week. Mississippi also received 336 doses REGEN-COV monoclonals as well as 270 doses Ely Lilly monoclonals. MSDH recommends that these treatments be used while the delta variant of omicron is still present in Mississippi, even though neither one of them are effective. Mississippi will also receive limited supplies of Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, which can be used in outpatient settings to treat COVID-19. Clinical trials have shown that the former showed a 30% decrease in severe illness, while the latter showed an 89% decrease. MSDH expects that the state will be receiving additional allocations of these medications in mid-January. However, Mississippi has received less than 3,000 doses. On Tuesday, Dr. Thomas Dobbs, the state’s health officer, stated that the limited supply of antivirals and monoclonals will be distributed primarily to MSDH’s 48 COVID Center of Excellence members. Their use will also be targeted at those most at risk, such as seniors and people with compromised immune systems. Dobbs stated that monoclonals and vaccines are both Plan B, and that you shouldn’t rely on them when Plan A is still available. Unvaccinated people still account for the majority of COVID-19 new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in Mississippi. Between December 7 and January 3, unvaccinated Mississippians accounted for 98% of new COVID-19 cases, 88% hospitalizations, and 72% deaths. Experts across the nation and state agree that getting fully vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself against the omicron. If you are eligible, a booster dose can also be given. Mississippi still has a lower vaccination rate than the rest of the country, with only 49% of its residents being fully vaccinated. More than 446,000 Mississippians have already received booster doses or third doses. A new segment of the population is likely to be eligible for them soon. On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved COVID-19 booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds. According to Dr. Peter Marks (director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research), a booster dose may provide greater protection against the omicron and delta variants. This was based on FDA’s evaluation of current data. “In particular the omicron version appears to be slightly less resistant to antibody levels generated in response to primary series doses of the current vaccines.” FDA also decreased the time people who have been fully vaccinated must wait before receiving a booster dose. It was reduced from six to five months. A person who wants to receive a Moderna booster must still wait six months. These policies must be approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before they can go into effect. After a meeting of the CDC advisory panel later in this week, a decision could be made soon.