Parson Announces Mass Vaccination, Targeted Sites Across State

Gov. Mike Parson said Jan. 20 that the Missouri National Guard will begin assisting the Department of Health and Senior Services in establishing COVID-19 vaccination sites across the state.

According to a press release, a mass vaccination team will be established in each of Missouri’s nine highway patrol regions.

The Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) said Missouri ranks last in the percentage of residents who have received the first dose.

Less than 4% of Missourians have received the initial shot as of Sunday.

Nationally, 5.6% of United States residents have been administered the first shot. 

Missouri is above-average in terms of residents who have gotten both doses of the vaccine.

The state has fully vaccinated 1.2% of its population, compared to just 1% nationally.

Missouri began COVID-19 vaccinations in December, targeting public health employees.

Parson said the National Guard will provide teams of soldiers and airmen to assist the mass vaccination.

Teams consist of 30 support personnel who provide assistance in the form of traffic control, administrative support and data input.

Targeted vaccination teams consist of four-person teams with one vaccinator and three support staff to assist with administrative duties.

"The Missouri National Guard is once again answering the call to help Missourians in time of need," said Governor Parson. "The purpose of these vaccination teams is to support our existing vaccinators and provide an additional vaccination source for eligible Missourians that may otherwise have a hard time receiving a vaccine."  

Mass vaccination sites opened last weekend in southeast Missouri and Parson said other sites will be operational by the end of January.

Each site has the capability to provide up to 2,500 doses per day, per team.

Parson said vaccine supply remains extremely limited.

“Current demand for the vaccine far outweighs the current supply that the state is allotted by the federal government,” Parson said. “These mass vaccination and target vaccination sites will ensure that vaccines are being administered as efficiently as possible and that every Missourian will have the opportunity to eventually receive a vaccine regardless of where they live.”

Missourians are encouraged to visit MoStopsCOVID.com to see the latest vaccine updates, find out when they are eligible for the vaccine, and locate available vaccinators in their area.