Governor Parson Announces High Throughput Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Allocations for March 1 - 14, 2021
MARCH 1, 2021
Today, Governor Mike Parson released the names of the health care centers in each of the state’s nine regions that will receive COVID-19 vaccines as part of the state’s partnership with High Throughput Health Centers (HTHC).
“Our partnership with high throughput health centers across the state has been an important piece in ensuring vaccines are administered equitably and efficiently to Missourians in every region,” said Governor Parson. “These health care centers have established connections with their local communities and high risk Missourians throughout the region and have the proven capacity to get thousands of vaccines into arms each week.”
Selected hospitals have the capability to administer a minimum of 5,000 vaccines per week. Hospitals not selected as high throughput vaccinators are considered community providers and may request vaccines through the established process with the Department of Health and Senior Services. For a list of HTHCs in each region and a breakdown of vaccine doses allocated, see attachment.
Vaccines distributed to HTHCs are only one component of the state’s current COVID-19 vaccine distribution framework. There are six provider categories used to distribute Missouri’s allotment of vaccines from the federal government to each region. Due to increases in vaccine supply, the state's model has been modified. Current categories include the following:
- High Throughput Health Centers: 41 percent
- Mass Vaccination Events: 22 percent
- Local Public Health Agencies: 7 percent
- Federally Qualified Health Centers: 8 percent
- Community/Enrolled Providers: 7 percent
- Vaccine Desert Mitigation: 15 percent
The distribution through these categories combined is how the state ensures equitable and efficient vaccine distribution to each of Missouri’s nine regions. The state assesses the varying needs and health care infrastructure available in each region to help determine which providers may best serve each region.
Some regions may rely more heavily on certain distribution categories than others, but once finalized, each region receives a percentage of the state’s total vaccine allocation that is approximate to its population.
“Due to health care infrastructure, distribution methods may vary from one region to the next, but there is no division between rural and urban Missouri,” said Governor Parson. “Individuals willing to do their homework will learn that each region, whether it be urban or rural, is receiving a percentage of our state’s total vaccine allocation that matches their region’s population size.”
Governor Parson indicated at his Thursday, February 25, press briefing that when more vaccine becomes available and as Missouri enters the next phase (Phase 1B – Tier 3), there will be more opportunities to utilize the Missouri National Guard Mass Vaccination Teams in urban areas in addition to the targeted teams already deployed in St. Louis and Kansas City.
With the Janssen vaccine being shipped to states beginning this week and with vaccination rates increasing in some areas, planning is underway and advancing for transitioning some Mass Vaccination Teams to accommodate more events in Regions A (Kansas City region) and C (St. Louis region), in coordination with regional health care partners.
To view the historical totals of COVID-19 vaccines allocated to each of Missouri’s nine regions and the corresponding population sizes, click here.
On February 27, the Janssen Biotech, Inc. (a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine was granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). Approximately 50,000 doses are expected to arrive in Missouri this week.
“It is encouraging to see vaccine supply continually increasing in Missouri and across the nation,” said Governor Parson. “The Janssen vaccine will provide Missourians a single-dose option and help our vaccination teams, especially our targeted vaccination teams, quickly provide opportunities in both rural and urban parts of the state that lack access to vaccines.”
Of the 50,000 Janssen vaccine doses, 5,000 will be distributed to targeted vaccination sites in St. Louis and Kansas City, and 10,000 will go to regional mass vaccination events. The remaining 35,000 will be distributed to community providers that were not allocated Moderna or Pfizer vaccine doses this week. This will allow local providers to determine the most appropriate use for a single-dose regimen in their communities.
Missourians are encouraged to visit MOStopsCOVID.com to view the latest vaccine updates, find out when they are eligible for the vaccine, and locate available vaccinators in their area.