First shipments of coronavirus vaccine arrive in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Hospitals across Missouri should have the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine this week, possibly as early as Monday.
Gov. Mike Parson said on his social media accounts Monday afternoon that the first vials of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine have arrived in the state.
The doses will go out to 21 sites across the state which will then being vaccinations, Parson said.
BJC HealthCare spokeswoman Lauren High said Monday morning that BJC will get its first vaccine doses Monday or Tuesday. The company will receive about 9,750 doses and start administering them "by the end of the week," she said.
Dr. Robin Blount, vice president and chief medical officer at Boone Hospital, said Boone will begin vaccinating staff this week.
"We don't know exactly when we are going to get it, but we are hoping to start our vaccination program on Thursday," she said.
Dr. Laura Morris said MU Health is expecting to receive its first doses of the vaccine Tuesday morning.
"When the vaccine actually arrives we have ultra cold freezer storage available, so we are going to immediately, following all FDA guidelines for how to handle and maintain temperature for the vaccine," she said.
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Director Dr. Randall Williams said last week that the state was set to receive an initial shipment of 51,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The FDA approved the vaccine for emergency use in people 16 and older on Friday.
Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital said last week that it is among 37 VA medical centers getting an initial shipment of the vaccine, though it wasn't clear when those doses would arrive.
State health officials hope to reduce future COVID-19 deaths and stress on a strained health care system in the first phase of Missouri's vaccination plan.
This means employees and residents at long-term care facilities are the first priority, followed by health-care workers frequently exposed to the novel coronavirus and people outside nursing homes who are at high-risk of the worst complications of COVID-19.
Missouri has reported more than 4,500 deaths associated with COVID-19 and ranked No. 18 among states for deaths over the last week. Deaths have been on the increase in many Mid-Missouri counties, with Boone County reporting five last week.
Local nursing homes have been hit hard. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported 16 deaths in Boone County nursing homes as of Nov. 29. The agency reports at least 58 deaths in Jefferson City nursing homes.
Doctors have warned of potential mild reactions to the vaccine.
"The potential side effects that we look for again are mild reactions, so local reactions and then mild systematic reactions that wouldn't keep a person away from work, family or any other activities of daily living," University of Missouri Health Care Dr. Laura Morris said last week.
Williams said anyone with a history of severe reactions should let their medical provider know before getting the vaccine.
Truman VA Hospital has not responded to questions about vaccine distribution.
