Missouri Health Director Discusses Coronavirus Vaccine Program | Health News

Missouri accepted last week’s guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that prioritizes who should be vaccinated against the coronavirus first after being approved for use by the FDA.

Dr. Randall Williams, director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, held a webinar last week for reporters explaining how vaccines from two manufacturers, Pfizer and Moderna, will be distributed.

He said Missouri expects to receive 339,775 doses for the first vaccination against the virus (also known as COVID-19) that will be distributed by the end of December.

“For that amount alone, we should be able to get through all the caregiver residents, staff and healthcare providers,” Williams said. “The number of Missouri is estimated to be about 350,000.”

He said it was about 58,000 caregivers and 70,000 staff, 15,000 doctors, 6,000 medical students and 130,000 nurses who took care of them.

“That is, if you look at the world of nurses, doctors, healthcare providers, and internships and staff in long-term care facilities, there are about 350,000 in total, so just in December, enough to cover them. There are various vaccines.

According to Williams, CVS and Walgreens will vaccinate residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

“We do that through contracts with CDC, Walgreens and CVS, and they undertake it,” he said. “The vaccine is shipped directly and Walgreens and CVS go out to those agencies. They took it and vaccinated it with their employees. [people at] 1,300 long-term care facilities. ”

He said Phase 1A’s top priority group included priests going to the hospital.

Secret storage

“”The person in the hospital, housekeeping, is included as a positive health care worker. It’s not just doctors and doctors. “

For security reasons, Williams does not say where the vaccine will be stored, but it will be geographically distributed throughout Missouri where the vaccine can be stored at -94 degrees.

“We can’t identify these sites,” Williams said, because of reports of potential cyberattacks from other countries that could attempt to hack into cold storage tracking sites.

“We were asked not to share them, and they will be shared when the vaccine is delivered.”

Two doses of Moderna are given every 28 days and two doses of Pfizer are given every 21 days. There is no switching between the two brands.

According to Williams, Modana vaccines can be stored at normal freezer temperatures, which makes them work more effectively in more rural areas. After Walgreens and CVS got the vaccine, he said 105,000 doses of Moderna’s vaccine would go to other parts of the state around December 21st.

“It’s been pushed to all the other hospitals in Missouri (Hannibal, St. Joe’s, Joplin, Sedalia) because it’s stored in a regular freezer at 4 degrees below freezing,” Williams said. .. “They are so easy to use that I am very happy to get it.”

Of the 350,000 first Phase 1A priority group, state officials expect to take the first shot in December or early January and the second booster shot in January or early February. I am.

Phase 1B targets 3 million essential workers in Missouri. This includes first responders, teachers, defense workers and childcare workers.

“And at some point in the process, I think two vaccines, AstraZeneca and J & J, will be added. Currently they are different platforms … AstraZeneca and J & J are vector vaccines. They are coronavirus vaccines. It is introduced into the body via its cousin, adenovirus.

“And at this point, J & J is a single-dose vaccine in regular refrigeration, but there is talk that they may also go for two shots.”

According to Williams, the vaccine will be shipped directly to healthcare providers. Logistically, Williams said the National Guard service could be extended until the end of March.

“They helped us a lot in our tests … they have a very positive attitude and are incredibly efficient,” he said.

Mass vaccination

By the end of spring, Williams said the general population of Missouri would begin vaccination with the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I’m fully hoping to move to it by May 1st, and that includes a huge number of mass vaccinations — gymnasiums, drive-through clinics, doctors, pharmacies, FQHC (Federal Qualifications) Will be a health center), “Williams said.

“By July or August, anyone who wants a vaccine in Missouri will be vaccinated.”

“If you can’t afford to pay the administration fee or don’t have insurance, you can’t refuse the vaccine,” said Lisa Cox, a DHSS spokesman. She said the provider could charge less than $ 25 to manage the shots.

Senator Roy Blunt of R-Missouri is working to raise money to cover administrative costs, Williams said.

“One of the proposals that Senator Brandt and I discussed with the Governor was to bring $ 66 million to Missouri, especially for the implementation of the vaccine process.

The state has set up a website to answer questions about vaccines. For more information, please visit: http://mostopscovid.com..