Missouri targeting long-term care facilities with Moderna coronavirus vaccine

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

Residents of long-term care facilities in Missouri could receive Moderna's coronavirus vaccine as early as next week, according to Missouri's top public health official.

But the timeline depends on the company getting FDA approval this week.

Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said Missouri will get 105,000 doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine as early as Sunday. An FDA advisory committee is set to review Moderna's safety data on Thursday.

The committee last week recommended the FDA approve Pfizer's vaccine. The FDA approved use of that vaccine the next day and the first shots in Mid-Missouri were given this week.

Williams said the plan is to use 70,000 of the Moderna vaccine doses strictly for long-term care facilities across the state. The state plans to vaccinate at least two-thirds of long term care facilities starting next week if the vaccine is approved.

The state is targeting residents and workers in long-term care facilities -- a category that includes nursing homes -- and health-care workers its the first phase of its vaccine distribution plan. Health officials hope by targeting those groups they can see a reduction in deaths and strain on hospitals more quickly.

"People in long-term care facilities make up 4% of the cases, they make up 43% of the mortality", said Williams.

The state has partnered with CVS and Walgreens to vaccinate residents of long-term care facilities. Williams said pharmacy teams will provide the vaccinations on-site.

The Moderna vaccine has been described as easier to use because it doesn't require the kind of ultracold storage the Pfizer vaccine does. Williams said that is one reason why long-term care facilities will receive this vaccine instead of the Pfizer vaccine.

"it’s just a lot easier to use. It’s stored in a normal freezer, it’s easier to get out, especially if you’re going to a rural area," Williams said.

Williams said both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines can be transported easily without the need for ultracold trucks or storage. The doses are shipped in special packaging meant to keep them cold. The boxes also record the contents' temperature and store that data, Williams said.

Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital began vaccinating its long-term care residents with the Pfizer vaccine Tuesday. The hospital is one of 37 Veterans Affairs sites to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Williams and Gov. Mike Parson gave an update on the coronavirus vaccine and the vaccination process at a briefing Wednesday afternoon. Watch the replay in the player below.

Nikki Strong, the Executive Director of the Missouri Health Care Association, said Walgreens and CVS are planning to bring the vaccines into long term care facilities to vaccinate residents and staff.

"Residents in nursing homes and living facilities really don't have the capability to get out and go get the vaccine so they're basically bringing the vaccines to the facilities," Strong said.

CVS and Walgreens have teamed up with the state to assist in vaccinating those in long term care facilities statewide.

"The federal government and the state government have partnered up together and created a program to help get all the residents and staff in the long term care facilities vaccinated and what that program is doing is that it's using CVS and Walgreens pharmacies to come in and set up on-site clinics in the facilities so that they can vaccinate and that will start as soon as the vaccine starts rolling into the state of Missouri.", said Strong.

The Moderna vaccine could be approved as early as Thursday by the FDA. The state plans to begin rolling out the vaccine as soon as it arrives.