King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven and Lawrence County Hospital in Monticello have been designated COVID-19 Centers of Excellence by the Mississippi State Department of Health.

“KDMC’s mission is to ‘always provide quality health and wellness in a Christian environment.’ As a result we are committed to help our community battle the COVID-19 virus by providing monoclonal antibody treatment for anyone who is sick with the virus, and to administer the COVID-19 vaccine locally,” said King’s Daughters Medical Center CEO Alvin Hoover. “I am pleased and proud of the KDMC team for being designated as a COVID-19 Center of Excellence.”

To received the MSDH Center of Excellence designation, a health care provider must agree to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible members of their communities; serve as a referral location for COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment — a therapeutic infusion to reduce the severity of the disease; and address disparities in vaccination access in their communities.

“We are glad to be participating in this program,” said Lawrence County Hospital Director of Nursing Dana Andrews. “A lot of our staff has been at the local health department assisting their staff in providing vaccinations.”

“We are incredibly proud that these health systems have stood up to arm their communities with additional vaccination and treatment efforts in the fight against COVID-19,” said MSDH State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs. “With the help of these Centers of Excellence, we can reach important populations that might not be otherwise served through our traditional drive-through clinics.”