As Missouri expands its COVID-19 vaccination schedule, details are emerging as to how you may be get your vaccination when it's your time to receive it.
Kristi Campbell, Cole County Health Department director, fielded some questions as to how the schedule will work, as well as where and who may handle the vaccinations.
Q. Who is eligible to receive the vaccine now?
Missouri will have opened COVID-19 vaccinations to more than 2.5 million people by Monday, state officials announced last week.
Tier 1 Phase 1B of the state's vaccination plan, which opened Thursday, includes first responders, people in public works positions, non-patient-facing public health workers, and critical infrastructure and government, expanding from the first phase that included patient-facing health care workers, residents and staff of long-term care facilities, home health providers and EMS personnel.
The second tier of Phase 1B, to open Monday, will include Missourians at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 - those who are age 65 and older or adults with conditions such as cancer, chronic kidney disease, cardiopulmonary disease, heart conditions, weakened immune systems due to organ transplant, sickle cell disease, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, pregnancy, and intellectual or developmental disabilities.
"With the changes in vaccination phases from (the Department of Health and Senior Services), the approach here in our area had to be changed immediately," Campbell said. "The hospitals are scheduling clinics for their patients faster than they anticipated."
Q. What should a person older than age 65 or otherwise included in the current vaccination phase do if he or she wants to get vaccinated?
A. "Step 1 is for the resident to call his or her primary care provider," Campbell said. "If they don't have a PCP, they should consider establishing themselves with a PCP.
"Step 2, go to the Cole County Health Department's website for information (colehealth.org). We will be adding an online scheduling late next week for residents to schedule an appointment. If they don't have internet access, they should call CCHD (573-636-2181).
"Soon, we anticipate that other providers will have vaccines available, such as Hy-Vee and Walgreens."
Q. After someone contacts a primary care provider, does the PCP then alert the Health Department or the hospitals that they have a patient wanting a vaccination? Does the primary care provider contact the patient to schedule the vaccination in the doctor's office or at another centralized location?
A. "The hospitals and PCPs are working to establish clinics to provide vaccines for their patients," Campbell said. "They should be vaccinating their own patients as supply and staff time allow."
Q. What should an employer do if it wants to provide vaccinations for employees?
A. "Soon, DHSS will have options on their website for employers to find vaccinators in their area to contact about vaccinations for their employees," she said. "Some employers already have a contract with health care organizations for their medical needs and should contact their provider first. The Cole County Health Department will be able to help with employer-based vaccinations, either on-site or at the Health Department, when it is appropriate for that group. If we are not able to provide vaccinations, we can pair the employer up with another vaccinator to assist."
Campbell said the biggest issue the Health Department is facing now is the speed at which information about COVID-19 vaccinations is changing.
"We continue to direct residents to go to the state website, covidvaccine.mo.gov, and I know DHSS is committed to keeping this website up to date," Campbell said. "We need everyone to be patient and realize the supply is very limited right now. We have a great community of health care providers in this area that are doing everything they can to provide as many vaccines as possible, but it's going to take time.