Missouri Hospital Association announces new vaccine redistribution site
COLUMBIA, MO (KMIZ)
The Missouri Hospital Association introduced a new vaccine redistribution database for vaccinators to list extra vaccine doses they may have on hand, during the state's weekly vaccinator call.
In efforts to ensure that no vaccine dose goes to waste the Missouri Hospital Association has created an easy tool for vaccinators to share any extra vaccine doses.
Jackie Gatz, the Vice President of Safety and Preparedness for the Missouri Hospital Association, described the new tool as a 'just in time sharing' method for vaccinators. The site is only for vaccinators who have excess doses that they don't have the demand for or that may be expiring soon. The website will allow for vaccinators to list their extra doses, and vaccinators in need of more doses can request doses that are listed.
"This is a great opportunity to be able to get smaller amounts of vaccine that could be readily available in your region prior to the next week’s order, this is a great opportunity again for just in time-sharing," said Gatz.
The site will ask vaccinators to fill out an online query with information about the vaccine brand, whether it is thawed or frozen, and the expiration date. The database will allow for providers in need of vaccine to easily get their hands on vaccine doses without having to wait for an order from the state.
Sara Humm with Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services department, says they haven't seen issues with having to redistribute extra vaccine doses as they have in the past. Humm says the health department has not had to order more vaccine doses in weeks due to the large supply it currently has. As extra vaccine doses were left over from the department's previous mass vaccine clinics, the health department has found other ways to repurpose the doses.
“In the past, we’ve had some redistribution from other counties or we’ve had to redistribute ours to let’s say MU if we had a large amount leftover. However now that the demand and supply have changed a little bit where there’s a little bit less demand and more supply we’re able to keep those doses in storage, so we can use them for other events like these we’re doing in these other parts of Boone county to have that vaccine available," said Humm.
Last week the health department kicked off its first outreach vaccine clinics in more rural parts of Boone County. Humm says extra doses were stored and kept for these outreach clinics. The clinics are walk-in only, and allow the local communities easier access to the vaccine. Tuesday, the health department hosted a clinic in Sturgeon. Wednesday, the health department will have another walk-in only vaccine clinic in Harrisburg at Harrisburg Lion's Club from 3 to 6 p.m.
"We’ve been able to have enough vaccine on hand where we don’t have to have appointments where we could accommodate walk-ins because with walk-ins it’s a little bit more unpredictable we have enough vaccine supply to be able to accommodate that,”, said Humm.
As of Tuesday, Boone County has administered 140,422 vaccine doses; of that 61,927 residents have completed the vaccination process. 34.3% of Boone County's population has completed the vaccination process.
The state has administered 3,976,525 vaccine doses as of Tuesday. 1,777,6777 Missourians have completed the vaccination process. 37.8% of the state's population has initiated the vaccination process.
