SPRINGFIELD, Missouri (KY3) – Missouri has officially entered a new phase in its COVID-19 vaccination plan.
Monday marks the start of Phase 1B, Level 2, which focuses on helping people who are pregnant or adults over 65 at risk for serious coronavirus-related illnesses. People with intellectual or developmental disabilities are also eligible.
If you are not in these categories, you may have to wait a while.
“We are limited by the amount of vaccine we receive,” said Dr. Randall Williams, Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. “We have no control over that, so what we have control over is ensuring that, once we get it, it is distributed.”
As of Sunday, about 200,000 vaccines have been administered across the state. It is very different from the number of people who are now eligible to receive it.
“As you can imagine, the universe of 1B, Tier 1 and 2 and 1A is almost 3 million people,” said Dr. Williams. “This is half the state of Missouri.”
But the supply of vaccines received has been slow, which Williams said was not unexpected.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we were getting just 70,000 vaccines a week, or 74,000-80,000, I think now,” said Dr. Williams.
This means that most will have to wait to receive it, even after signing up.
“We will need people to be patient while we work in this universe of three million people,” he said.
But while it has been a slow process so far, Dr. Williams has hope for the future.
“As we look around the state and see the morbidity and mortality that the virus has caused, we are extremely grateful to have a tool that we think will take us to a much better place in Missouri, and very quickly, I think in May or June. “
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