Dr. Williams: COVID-19 vaccine could come as soon as next month to Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The top doctor in Missouri says Missourians could get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as next month.

This morning Dr. Randall Williams testified to the Missouri House Special Committee on Disease Control and Prevention that he's expecting a COVID-19 vaccine to be available as early as mid-December.

"I think more likely than not we will be able to give it to health care workers in mid-December to the latter part of December and our long term care facility workers," says Dr. Williams.

Dr. Williams told says this vaccine still has to be approved by the FDA which could take about 2 weeks it will then need to be approved by the CDC and Vaccine Advisory Council before it is ready to be administered.

The vaccine will be administered in 3 different phases. The first phase will include healthcare workers and long term care facility staff. The second phase is about 3 million people it includes first responders, teachers, and people over 65 with other health issues. The third phase would not come into effect until about April or May for all citizens who want the vaccine.

Dr. Williams said the Pfizer vaccine works from new technology called messenger RNA. The vaccine produces an antigen called a spike and then the body forms an immune response to the spike.

Dr. Williams says, "It will be prepositioned in Missouri in 5 places that have the ability to freeze it at 94 degrees below zero."

The vaccine is made in Chesterfield by Pfizer Pharmaceutical.

But even with a vaccine coming, Williams says it's a good idea to mask up and keep your hands clean.

Dr. Williams says, "So we think it's incredibly important that no matter where you are in Missouri that if you can't social distance you need to wear a mask. Period."

That vaccine has had a 90% success rate and will be free to citizens if approved.