About 2,200 to receive second coronavirus vaccine dose in Moberly

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Around 2,200 people are scheduled to receive their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine Wednesday in Moberly.

To receive a shot, individuals had to be included in the state's current vaccination phase, which is up to Phase 1B Tier 2. That group includes people 65 and over and those with certain health conditions.

The event is being held at Rothwell Park, where the first vaccination event was held back on Jan. 29. Vaccines will be given out from 9 a.m. until around 6 p.m.

People receiving their second dose were asked to bring their vaccination cards and consent form.

The Missouri National Guard and other state agencies are teaming up with local health organizations to put on the clinic. The Guard is helping with clinics in each of the state's highway patrol regions. Moberly is in Region B.

Missouri National Guard Maj. Rhonda Brown, the officer in charge of Region B, said 33 members of the Air Force and Army helped out with the event on Wednesday.

"We are just a small part of the group that's supporting across the state of Missouri so we're really proud to be here and have the uniform on," Brown said.

Brown said about 293 cars had gone through the vaccine clinic by about 10 a.m.

Randolph County Health Department Administrator Sharon Whisenand said a few people who were vaccinated the first time had conflicts with getting their second doses Wednesday.

"We're hoping that we're going to be able to work with those people to get them their second doses," Whisenand said.

Ross McKinstry, former director of the Randolph County Health Department, was one of the people who received his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine Wednesday.

"The process has just been amazing, it's been really smooth," McKinstry said. "The first one took a little longer, I think they were working out the kinks ... it took us probably 15-20 minutes to get through from the time we pulled into the park until the immunizations were actually given."

McKinstry said getting his second shot was painless.

"I would encourage anyone out there to come and talk to their public health department and find out when they're doing vaccinations and get it done," McKinstry said. "I think it's a community responsibility and I think it puts us on track to maybe stop the pandemic. It's going to take a while ... but it's really going to help us in the future."

McKinstry said he and his wife were excited to receive their second dose of the vaccine today.

"It almost feels like a weight's been lifted by going through this process," McKinstry said. "It's a really good thing."

Whisenand said no other mass vaccination events are currently planned in Moberly but she says her and her staff would like to vaccinate more people.

Missouri's COVID-19 dashboard reported Wednesday that 1,084,538 doses of the coronavirus vaccine have been given out statewide. This equates to 11.8% of the state population receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.

More than 3,300 doses had been given out in Randolph County before the event, according to the dashboard, with about 10.2% of the population having gotten their first dose.