Governor Parson Applauds Vaccination Efforts as Phase Two of COVID-19 Vaccine Plan Opens

MARCH 29, 2021

Jefferson City — As Phase 2 of Missouri's COVID-19 Vaccination Plan opens today, extending COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to approximately 880,000 Missourians, Governor Mike Parson applauds the continued efforts of state-supported vaccination teams and other community vaccine providers across the state. 

"Today marks the activation of Phase 2 of our state's Vaccination Plan, and I cannot thank our Missouri National Guard, DHSS, and FEMA personnel as well as our countless state, local, and private partners enough for their efforts," Governor Parson said. "With nearly 3.9 million adult Missourians now eligible, we have come a long way since vaccines first arrived in Missouri. This has truly been a team effort and will continue to be as we keep making progress toward our goal of providing every Missourian the opportunity for a vaccine."

The activation of Phase 2 will extend vaccine eligibility to approximately 880,000 additional adult Missourians. In total, an estimated 3.9 million adult Missourians are eligible and activated for a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Phase 2 includes Missourians who are essential to equitable economic recovery, including those employed in construction, critical manufacturing, higher education, and remaining food and agriculture sectors. This also includes homeless and disproportionately affected populations with an emphasis on racial and ethnic minorities, among others.  

In just three days last week, more than 20,000 initial COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered in the St. Louis area through state-supported vaccination events alone. This does not include thousands of doses that were administered by various other community providers in the area. 

At the state's two-day Mega Vaccination Event at St. Louis Community College – Forest Park, 6,600 Missourians were fully vaccinated with the Janssen vaccine. The state-supported clinics at The Family Arena in St. Charles and Greensfelder Recreation Complex at Queeny Park administered 9,000 and over 4,450 initial doses, respectively. 

To date, Missouri providers have administered more than 2.34 million total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Missourians across the state. More than 1.5 million Missourians, nearly 25 percent, have received an initial vaccine dose, and more than 875,000 have been fully vaccinated. 

Additionally, data shows that nearly 40 percent of the approximately three million Missourians who were eligible prior to Phase 2 have initiated vaccination. According to CDC data, which includes the latest doses administered through federal partnerships, nearly 66 percent of  Missouri's 65 and older population and 32 percent of  its 18 and older population have received an initial vaccination. 

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 and events in their area. Missourians interested in receiving a vaccine at a state-supported event are encouraged to use the state's Vaccine Navigator.