FESTUS, MO (Jan. 11, 2021) – Mercy Hospital Jefferson, Comtrea and the Jefferson County Health Department have unified efforts to plan for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine to county residents. Current planning includes developing a communications plan to inform residents when they are eligible to receive the vaccine and developing a registration system for quick and easy access to local immunization sites.
Our organizations are required to work within the guidelines of the State of Missouri COVID-19 priority distribution plan. The state plan dictates what priority populations are eligible for the vaccine and when vaccinators are allowed to open immunization registrations to the next eligible phase. The state is currently in Phase 1A which includes patient-facing health care workers, staff who come into contact with patients, and long-term care facility staff and residents.
At Mercy Jefferson, the immunization process started with co-workers facing the highest risk of exposure through direct contact with COVID patients then working through lower risk co-workers who have contact with any patients and visitors. Long-term care facilities throughout the county have received vaccine through a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens. Comtrea and the Jefferson County Health Department have been approved as vaccinators and are awaiting their initial allocations of vaccine.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services will determine when county vaccinators can move to the next phase of eligible recipients. Mercy Jefferson, Comtrea and the Jefferson County Health Department continue to monitor updates to the state distribution guidelines and will adjust our local plans accordingly. More information on who falls into each phase is available on the state’s website: covidvaccine.mo.gov/.
For more information, please visit:
www.mercy.net/newsroom/2021/01/08/questions-and-answers-about-the-covid-19-vaccine/