Many still need to be vaccinated as the state prepares for Tier 3
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Gov. Mike Parson said Thursday there are approximately 800,000 Missourians who are eligible and interested in receiving a coronavirus vaccine.
The governor announced that people who fall into the Phase 1B Tier 3 will be eligible to receive vaccinations on March 15. Parson expects by then that 400,000 Missourians will be eligible.
Nancy Miller, and 82-year-old Boone County resident, said she has signed up through multiple surveys and still has not been able to find any available doses.
Miller said she thinks the state should wait an extra two to three weeks after March 15 before moving to the next tier to continue to prioritize people in her age group.
Parson said it is important for vaccinators to prepare for the next tier now. By setting a date for the next group, the governor hopes to have a steady flow of people who are eligible and interested in receiving the vaccine.
Parson said Thursday if the Johnson and Johnson one-dose vaccine is approved this weekend, the state could place an order for 50,000 doses early next week.
Sara Humm, spokeswoman for the Columbia/Boone County health department, said the biggest issue the state is facing is a continued lack of vaccine supply.
"As we continue to get more vaccine into the community, we'll be able to continue vaccinating people in Tier 2 and then we have two weeks until Tier 3 becomes eligible," Humm said.
Humm said there are still people from Phase 1A who still need to be vaccinated. The spokeswoman said vaccine availability has caused some to wait. The people in the initial phase are being prioritized because of the "at-risk" category they are in, Humm said.
The health department is encouraging people in Tier 3 to begin filling out the combined survey from MU Health Care, Boone Hospital Center, and the Columbia/Boone County health department to have information into the system before March 15.
Humm said about 20,000 people who are vaccine eligible in Tier 2 have filled out the survey already. She said although this number is large, some of the individuals may have been vaccinated elsewhere and have not yet been taken off the list.
Dr. Robin Blount, chief medical officer of Boone Hospital Center, said vaccine supply will make the biggest difference for the hospital over the next few weeks. Blount said the Johnson and Johnson vaccine could help increase the vaccination rate because it only requires one shot.
Blount said the Johnson and Johnson and other vaccines currently available are effective in avoiding disease and keeping people out of the hospital. She cautioned her patients not to be picky when it comes the vaccines.
The health department began vaccinating homebound residents on Thursday, Humm said. The spokeswoman said it has also been a priority to vaccinate residents at independent living facilities.
Laura Reynolds with The Terrace Retirement Community said residents have received their first doses and are expected to receive the second on March 12.
Reynolds said she has questions about how the state handled the allocation of the vaccine, however, she's hopeful vaccinations will move along faster with more vaccine supply becoming available.
Tanya Alberty with D&H Drugstore has done several in-house clinics for independent living communities. Alberty said she has not heard of any local independent living communities where residents haven't received at least one dose.
