On March 15, Missouri Governor Mike Parson says he will open up the COVID vaccinations to individuals in Phase 1B – Tier 3 of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Plan. In a news release it says newly eligible will include “K-12 educators and school employees; child care providers; grocery store employees; and energy, food, agriculture, and other critical infrastructure workers, among others. With the activation of Phase 1B – Tier 3, approximately 550,000 more Missourians will be eligible for the vaccine.”
This is despite the fact there are thousands of people who are still on waiting lists to get their vaccines who were eligible in previous tiers.
The state is expecting 50,000 doses of the new Johnson & Johnson Jansen COVID-19 vaccine this week, approved last weekend for Emergency Use Authorization. Parson said he will get them out throughout the state.
“During these initial weeks that the Janssen vaccine is available, we will be allocating it across all current delivery channels providing vaccinations for Missourians,” Governor Mike Parson said. “Hospitals, local public health agencies, federally-qualified health centers and mass vaccination clinics will be included in the plan to distribute the Janssen vaccine so local providers can help determine which populations could be best served with a single-dose regimen.”
Tuesday, President Joe Biden moved up his estimate by two months, saying there will be enough COVID-19 vaccine for every adult in the U.S. by the end of May, and he is directing states to prioritize teacher vaccinations to help reopen schools and to return students to the classroom.