Beginning on March 15th those in Phase 1B Tier 3 will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Missouri per Governor Parson’s announcement in late February. This includes those who keep the essential functions of society running including K-12 school employees, childcare providers, grocery store workers, and energy, food, agriculture, and other critical infrastructure workers.
Jefferson County Health Department will continue to prioritize agency vaccination efforts toward individuals who fall into Phase 1A, Phase 1B Tier 1, and Phase 1B Tier 2 before opening clinic appointments to those in Phase 1B Tier 3. The decision is based on current data showing Jefferson County continues to remain in the top 10 counties across the state with a vaccination gap based on both numbers of individuals and percentage of population who have not received the vaccine versus the population that is eligible to receive it. Recent data pulled from the State Show Me Vax system show that 33.63% of Jefferson County adults 65 and older have received the first dose (12.4% fully vaccinated) and 24.94% of adults 18-64 with a comorbid condition have received their first dose (15.93% fully vaccinated.)” According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Jefferson County has 6.25% of its total population fully vaccinated as of March 11.
“While we support the Governor’s decision to open Tier 3, in Jefferson County we are still working to vaccinate a large number of individuals who are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality,” states Jefferson County Health Department Director, Kelley Vollmar. “Individuals 65+ and adults with one or more comorbidities fall into the current phases and tiers patiently waiting for their turn to be vaccinated. It is vital that we continue to prioritize those most at risk of severe complications to ensure the best health outcomes for all.” State Epitrax data show that while seniors 60 years of age and older made up 9.2% of total Covid-19 cases, they represented 93% of deaths in our Jefferson County.
As additional vaccine doses are provided to vaccinators throughout the county, the goal remains to vaccinate as many people as possible as quickly as possible. Additional vaccine sites are opening each day including pharmacies and private providers. JCHD encourages residents to visit www.vaccinefinder.org to find vaccinator sites and supply status within the county. Jefferson County Health Department has not set a firm date to open their clinics to those in Tier 3, however, those who have registered with the health department will be notified by email when their name comes up for future clinics.
Individuals interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged to complete the form provided on the health department website www.jeffcohealth.org called ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Interest Survey’. JCHD will utilize those survey responses by state ordered tier to reach out to residents for appointments. Older adults or those without internet access should call the JCHD COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Line at 636-789-8941.