Governor announces vaccine incentive program

Gov. Mike Parson announced Wednesday a $9 million program to encourage Missouri residents age 12 and older to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

“We understand that some Missourians are hesitant towards getting the vaccine, but we must all take personal responsibility and do right by our own health and that of our friends and family by getting vaccinated,” Parson said during a news conference. “This new program will compliment our existing efforts to educate Missourians about the importance of getting the vaccine. Our current COVID-19 situation is serious. This delta variant transmits faster than what we have previously seen and is more likely to impact children and the unvaccinated.”

MO VIP will award $10,000 in cash or education savings account funds to 900 sweepstakes winners. Drawings for the cash prizes will begin Aug. 13 and end Oct. 8.

Missouri residents at least 12 years of age who have received at least one vaccine dose prior to the drawing date are eligible to enter the sweepstakes at www.MOStopsCovid.com/win or by calling the state’s COVID-19 hotline — (877) 435-8411 — between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

The drawings will include winners in three color-coded groups: Red — residents 18 and older who received at least one vaccine dose on or after July 21; White — residents 18 and older who received at least one vaccine dose before July 21; and Blue — residents age 12 to 17 who received at least one vaccine dose at any time. Drawings will occur two weeks apart. Each drawing will include 80 randomly selected winners from the Red and White groups and 20 from the Blue group.

Officials will verify vaccination status and other eligibility requirements, and a release from Parson’s office indicated the winners will be announced two weeks after each drawing.

Parson said the program will hopefully raise the percentage of Missourians vaccinated against COVID-19. He noted the virus’ delta variant has caused a surge in new cases and hospitalizations across the state. The most recent data from the state Department of Health and Senior Services indicates the state is adding nearly 1,400 new virus cases each day. An average of three Missourians die because of the virus each day. The state’s testing positivity rate over the past week was 14.2%.

Parson encouraged Missourians to seek information about the virus and vaccine from trusted sources.

“I ask you to turn off the clutter, the doom-and-gloom scenarios that are out there across our state. All the misinformation is out there. All the people that have a political agenda to talk about the virus. I ask you to go to your health care leaders in your communities and the people you trust — to your doctors, to your clergies, the people you know that will give you good information so you can be able to make your judgments about getting a vaccine.”

County numbers

Wednesday afternoon, the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center announced a county resident in their 60s had died of COVID-19, bring the county’s total number of deaths to 135.

The latest area county virus statistics from the state health department:

• Bollinger: one new case in past seven days; 1.5% testing positivity rate; 26.1% of population has initiated vaccination; 22.4% of population has completed vaccination
• Cape Girardeau: 28 new cases in past seven days; 5.6% testing positivity rate; 64.7% increase in cases from previous seven days; 38.5% of population has initiated vaccination; 34.2% of population has completed vaccination
• Perry: six new cases in past seven days; 6.2% testing positivity rate; 50% increase in cases from previous seven days; 30.8% of population has initiated vaccination; 28.2% of population has completed vaccination
• Scott: 20 new cases in past seven days; 9.3% testing positivity rate; 53.8% increase in cases from previous seven days; 36.1% of population has initiated vaccination; 32.4% of population has completed vaccination
• Stoddard: 52 new cases in past seven days; 23% testing positivity rate; 92.6% increase in cases from previous seven days; 29.1% of population has initiated vaccination; 25.7% of population has completed vaccination.

In Southeast Missouri, 41 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized and 10 were on a ventilator as of Sunday. Twenty-one percent of the region’s inpatient beds were available (21% statewide), and 30% of ICU beds were available (19% statewide).

New director

Parson also announced a new director for DHSS, Don Kauerauf.

Kauerauf most recently served as assistant director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. He has worked in public health and emergency management in Illinois for more than 30 years.

“It is an honor to be appointed by the governor as the new director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services,” Kauerauf said. “I’m looking forward to working with public health agencies, health care providers and communities to build upon the great work that has been initiated in Missouri to address the current COVID-19 situation. At the same time, I’ll work to make available critical preventive programs and services to increase the health and safety of all Missourians.”