Some coronavirus vaccine clinics still happening after weather cancels state events
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Boone Hospital Center is holding a coronavirus vaccination clinic Wednesday as harsh winter weather cancels events around the state.
Several vaccine clinics throughout the state have been canceled and postponed this week because of snow and extreme cold.
MU Health care said, "Because of weather-related vaccine shipping delays, we are postponing vaccinations for those scheduled to receive their initial dose of the Moderna vaccine on Fridat, at the Faurot Field."
“We still hope to receive the vaccine in time to hold our Moderna first-dose events schedule for Sunday, but appointments scheduled for Friday, will be postponed,” said Brad Myers, MU Health Care Director of Pharmacy and Laboratory Services.
Myers said, “We will notify people who have appointments for Friday to let them know their appointments are postponed until we receive the vaccine. Once we receive the vaccine, we will reach out to reschedule the appointments.”
The canceled events through Friday that were staffed by the Missouri National Guard, Department of Health and Senior Services and State Emergency Management Agency will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
Gov. Mike Parson said Tuesday that vaccine doses meant for those events are being redistributed to community hospitals that have emergency generators.
"Individuals who were registered for events this week are encouraged to reach out to other vaccinators in their region in the interim," said Mike O'Connell, spokesman for the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
He said Missourians who were scheduled to be vaccinated this week through other providers should check with their vaccinator for any potential schedule changes.
Lake Regional Health System postponed appointments for shots scheduled for Monday and Wednesday. Those appointments are being moved to Friday.
Pulaski County Health Department has also cancelled their mass vaccination booster event for tomorrow.
Pulaski Health Director, Deborah Baker, said all of the people that received their first dose will still be guaranteed a second dose. She said although the weather has made them postpone the event, the doses will be given in an acceptable time frame.
Baker said their regular booster clinics will resume tomorrow, and they hope to reschedule their mass clinic for next week. They had hopes to combine the events into one day on Saturday, but are still unsure if vaccines will be delivered in time because of the weather delays.
Baker also said that those who received their first dose at a mass clinic cannot attend one of the booster clinics at their office. They will need to attend the mass vaccine booster when it is rescheduled.
Boone Hospital Center will administer 100 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. at the Columbia Mall.
This event is already full and will not be accepting walk-ins, but the hospital is set to received 500 Moderna vaccine doses yesterday and will hold another clinic at the mall on Monday.
They will have a link for eligible people to schedule for Monday's event.
"We had a few people cancel early, but we were able to not thaw vaccines," said Boone Hospital Nurse Amy Bierk.
Bierk said if they do have additional people that don't show up for the event, and they are already thawed doses, they have a list of people that will be contacted.
Second doses for those that received their shot today will be held in the same location in the mall in 21 days.
Plans are still in place for thousands of shots to be given at Faurot Field on Friday and Saturday.
Both of these events are using the same list of people to pull from after the combining of lists from MU Health Care, Boone Hospital, and the Columbia/Booone County Health Department.
People who are eligible for the vaccine should sign up through the COVID-19 vaccine survey. The state is vaccinating people in Tiers 1 and 2 of Phase 1B, which includes people 65 and older and those with certain health conditions.
D&H Drugstore also hoped to continue their in-house clinics this week for independent living facilities throughout Columbia, but will not receive more doses this week. They have ordered again for next week.
The state reports about 900,000 shots have been administered, including more than 650,000 first doses. More than 35,000 doses have gone to Boone County residents, equal to about 13% of the county's population.
