Kansas City Area Vaccination Events Exceed Expectations

MARCH 22, 2021

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Parson joined the Kansas City Chiefs, County Executive Frank White, and other state and local partners in recognizing the success of last weekend's state-supported vaccination events in the Kansas City area. 

"Working together, our mega and targeted vaccination teams alone administered more than 8,000 J&J vaccine doses in the Kansas City area in just two days," Governor Parson said. "We cannot thank our partners enough for their efforts in making this event possible for the people of Kansas City. We far exceeded expectations, and the success of last weekend's events show just how much we can accomplish when we work together to find solutions that better serve the people of Missouri." 

“This event is proof that when we put politics aside and prioritize the safety and well-being of our communities, we can accomplish great things,” Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. said. “Thank you to Governor Mike Parson, all of our partners and volunteers for making the event go as smoothly as possible. I am so proud to have been part of the team effort to vaccinate thousands of residents, especially many of our most vulnerable, in Jackson County. More work remains, but I am committed to doing everything in my power to putting this deadly disease behind us and building back a better, stronger and more equitable community.”

Two Missouri National Guard mass vaccination teams and personnel from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) partnered with the Jackson County Health Department, Truman Medical Centers/University Health, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Urban League of Greater Kansas City, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, numerous volunteers, and other local leaders, including County Executive Frank White, Senator Barbara Washington, and Representative Ashley Bland-Manlove, to host the Mega Vaccination Event. 

This collaborative effort led to more than 7,250 Missourians fully vaccinated with the Janssen vaccine during the Mega Vaccination Event at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium alone. This far exceeded the state's and local health department's earlier expectations of vaccinating 6,000 Missourians over the two-day event. 

The level of coordination among the hundreds of professionals and volunteers at the Mega Vaccination Event allowed people to be vaccinated and driving away within 29 minutes after their arrival, including the mandatory 15-minute observation period. This time dropped as low as 25 minutes during the day on Saturday. 

In addition to the Mega Vaccination Event, the state was simultaneously supporting targeted vaccination teams in Kansas City, in partnership with Morning Star Baptist Church. More than 890 Missourians were fully vaccinated using the Janssen vaccine through these targeted events. 

Additionally, high throughput hospitals, pharmacies, local health departments, and other community providers continue to receive and administer the largest share of the state's vaccine allotment from the federal government. Tens of thousands more Missourians receive vaccination through these providers in the Kansas City region and across the state. 

Missourians can use the state's Vaccine Navigator on MoStopsCOVID.com to find approved vaccinators in their area, including local pharmacies and others who receive regular shipments of vaccine.