The United States is grappling with low vaccination rates against the coronavirus, as there have been mixed messages regarding the use of masks, coupled with hesitancy among residents to receive COVID-19 jabs.As the highly contagious Delta variant is spreading rapidly in the country, increasing cases have been reported in states with lower vaccination rates, such as Mississippi.Nearly 23,000 students in Mississippi have tested positive for COVID-19 since most of schools started the new academic year in August.A Mississippi school teacher named Caroline said her sister, who is a local school nurse saw her school shut down in the first week of the new semester after a record number of students contracted COVID-19."They started school July 21st, that’s when all the students came back and she was sent home, [with like] 20 to 30 students a day or so. Last Wednesday on the 28th, they were the first ones to shut down because so many kids happened to be quarantined. And they couldn't test for COVID-19 there at the school," she said.Although the vaccination campaign has been expanded to children aged 5 to 11, vaccination remains a controversial topic in Mississippi.Locals blame the situation on the government's mixed messages regarding COVID-19, which has not only reduced government's credibility in their eyes, but also puts people's lives in danger.Mississippi is among 11 states to file a petition challenging the federal vaccine mandate, which requires companies with 100 employees or more to be vaccinated or get tested weekly and wear masks.The mandate was temporarily blocked by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Saturday.Amid endless debate and litigation, there is no telling how long the pandemic will end and how many more people will lose their lives due to COVID-19.