Missouri plans to roll out coronavirus vaccine in phases

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The state plans on distributing any coronavirus vaccine in three phases, prioritizing health-care workers and long-term care facilities.

Phase 1A of that plan states Missouri will collaborate with "healthcare systems, pharmacies, and community partners to vaccinate long-term care facility staff and other healthcare workers."

Phase 1A goes on to state if the vaccine needs to be broken down even further the first doses would go to health-care workers at long-term care facilities.

Officials would then turn their attention to health-care workers with underlying health problems that make them at higher risk for the worst effects of COVID-19. The next phase would then roll out doses of the vaccine to critical infrastructure workers and those at a higher risk for COVID-19.

Plans for distributing a vaccine against the novel coronavirus are in the spotlight as drug makers move quickly toward approval of a vaccine. Pfizer said Friday that it is asking federal regulators for emergency use permission for its vaccine.

That means the first shots could be given as early as December.

The state also plans to participate in a pharmacy partnership to vaccinate anyone who is eligible under the first phase but had not yet received a vaccination.

The state will then turn its attention to populations at increased risk of acquiring or transmitting COVID-19. Those include racial and ethnic minority groups, housing-insecure individuals and people living and working in congregate settings such as prisons.

Phase 3 will then focus on vaccination efforts for most adults. The plan calls for pharmacies and clinics to undertake most of the vaccination effort.

It is still unclear when a vaccine will be readily available for residents in Mid-Missouri.

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