COVID-19 vaccine dispersal plan announced

COVID-19 vaccine doses continue to flow into Southeast Missouri.

Gov. Mike Parson announced Tuesday how the state will distribute the latest doses available. SoutheastHEALTH and Saint Francis Healthcare System will each receive 2,000 doses in the first two weeks of March, according to the governor. The hospitals are the only "high throughput health centers" in the region to receive vaccine doses from the state.

"Our partnership with high throughput health centers across the state has been an important piece in ensuring vaccines are administered equitably and efficiently to Missourians in every region," Parson said. "These health care centers have established connections with their local communities and high-risk Missourians throughout the region and have the proven capacity to get thousands of vaccines into arms each week."

The state has identified six types of vaccine distributors and allocates vaccine doses based on a formula:

• high-throughput health centers: 41%
• mass vaccination events: 22%
• local public health agencies: 7%
• federally qualified health centers: 8%
• community/enrolled providers: 7%
• vaccine desert mitigation: 15%

The distribution formula is how the state "ensures equitable and efficient vaccine distribution to each of Missouri's nine regions. The state assesses the varying needs and health care infrastructure available in each region to help determine which providers may best serve each region."

"Due to health care infrastructure, distribution methods may vary from one region to the next, but there is no division between rural and urban Missouri," the governor noted. "Individuals willing to do their homework will learn that each region, whether it be urban or rural, is receiving a percentage of our state's total vaccine allocation that matches their region's population size."

J&J vaccine coming

Saturday, the Janssen Biotech Inc. (a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine was granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). State officials expect about 50,000 doses to arrive in the state this week.

"It is encouraging to see vaccine supply continually increasing in Missouri and across the nation," Parson said. "The Janssen vaccine will provide Missourians a single-dose option and help our vaccination teams, especially our targeted vaccination teams, quickly provide opportunities in both rural and urban parts of the state that lack access to vaccines."

Of the 50,000 Janssen vaccine doses, 5,000 will be distributed to targeted vaccination sites in St. Louis and Kansas City, and 10,000 will go to regional mass vaccination events. The remaining 35,000 will be distributed to community providers that were not allocated Moderna or Pfizer vaccine doses this week, according to a release from the governor.

Visit www.MOStopsCOVID.com to view the latest vaccine updates, find out eligibility for the vaccine and locate available vaccinators.