Officials Give Update on COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

February 24, 2021

Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, gave an update on the state's COVID-19 vaccination progress. Admittedly, he was briefed this week by federal Operation Warp Speed officials, but he didn't say how much of the new vaccine Missouri expects to receive initially. An article by The Kansas City Star explains that Missouri is vaccinating its first three groups currently, these include people age 65 and older and those with certain high-risk health conditions.

State officials say that mass COVID-19 vaccination processes probably won't come to Kansas City and St. Louis. Still, people who are currently eligible for the vaccine can register for one even if they don't live in the area where vaccination events were set up.

Robert Knodell, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Governor, says he wants people to be safe and vaccinated. The weather, on the other hand, has forced the cancellation of at least one vaccination event. Knodell claims these events should be resumed promptly when conditions will permit.

To have an organized hospital vaccine distribution, Missouri is sending half of its weekly COVID-19 vaccine allocation to select hospitals, including five in the Kansas City metro. Many hospitals are targeting the vaccine to people who are already patients. Still, it's expected that healthcare centers will work with others in the community to vaccinate residents that are not current patients at the hospitals.

Visit 'Ample Supply' Of COVID Vaccine Coming To Missouri, Health Officials Say to read the complete article.