Cole County Health Department starts healthcare worker coronavirus vaccinations
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Local healthcare workers can now receive Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine from the Cole County Health Department.
Health Department Director Kristi Campbell said SSM St. Mary's in Jefferson City redistributed 100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to the department. Cole County started vaccinating healthcare workers Tuesday and Campbell said the department plans to vaccinate about 100 healthcare workers this week.
These are workers who interact directly with patients but are not affiliated with SSM or Capital Region Medical Center.
Campbell said healthcare workers must call and make an appointment with the Cole County Health Department to receive the vaccine. Health department nurses are administering the vaccine.
Campbell said Capital Region Medical Center has offered doses of the vaccine to the department as well. The department plans to receive the Pfizer vaccine from Capital Region as the demand increases.
"At some point when the health department is able to order the Moderna vaccine we will be able to receive that here directly," Campbell said. "But at this time the Moderna vaccine hasn't been available to order it's all being sent to Walgreens and CVS for the long-term care facilities from the Department of Health and Senior Services, so right now our best option is to work collaboratively with the hospitals and assist them in getting the health care workers vaccinated."
The Cole County Health Department can vaccinate any healthcare workers seeking the vaccine, not only those who are within the county. Campbell said anyone who is a healthcare worker including in Phase 1A of the state's vaccine rollout plan can contact the health department and make an appointment to receive the vaccine.
The Cole County Health Department released an online survey to the public on its website for people interested in receiving the coronavirus vaccine. The survey will put those on the list to receive the vaccine as soon as the state moves to the next phase.
"That way if you have a special medical condition or you're high risk any of those essential worker categories, we will add you to that list and as soon as that phase is opened up by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services we will call you to schedule your appointment to get your vaccine," Campbell said.
COVID-19 supply boxes that were supposed to be shipped out to all Cole County residents have been delayed. The county commission approved the $318,255 purchase of these packages using CARES Act money in November. The boxes were supposed to go out to residents in December but none have been shipped out.
Staffing issues tied to COVID-19 at the manufacturer and distributor of the kits contributed to the delays, Campbell said. She said homes should get the kits by the end of the month.
Other local hospitals such as Boone Hospital Center are redistributing their Pfizer vaccines to their affiliated hospitals that did not receive the vaccine.
