Springfield-Greene County Health Department provides update on COVID-19 vaccination effort

(From the Springfield-Greene County Health Department)

As vaccination distribution efforts continue in our community and across Missouri, the Springfield-Greene County Health Department is encouraged by the ongoing community efforts to vaccinate eligible individuals against COVID-19.

Although vaccine is extremely limited in Missouri, community and state partners have continued to solidify plans to distribute vaccine as efficiently as possible as supply has become available.

Mass vaccination opportunities to come

The governor’s office announced this week that mass COVID-19 vaccination sites will soon be established across the state to provide further access to eligible Missourians.

The Missouri National Guard and Department of Health and Senior Services will establish mass vaccination teams in each of Missouri’s nine Highway Patrol regions.

While we do not know when a mass vaccination site will be set up in our region, the governor’s office expects all nine sites across the state will be operational by the end of January. Each site will have the capacity to provide up to 2,500 doses per day. The governor’s office will announce dates and locations at a later time.

Health care vaccine opportunities

The COVID-19 vaccines are currently available to people who are eligible in the state’s current phases of vaccine distribution, but are in limited supply. Eligible groups include: healthcare workers, first responders, emergency service workers and certain high-risk individuals. 

 

We expect that most people will receive the vaccine from their healthcare provider. You can sign up to receive updates at the links below:

Mercy: mercy.net/MOvaccine
CoxHealth: coxhealth.com/covid/vaccine
Jordan Valley Community Health Center: jordanvalley.org/covid-19-vaccine

Additionally, individuals can sign up for updates on vaccine distribution at health.springfieldmo.gov/FinishStrong.

Continuing to stay vigilant

Until there is a sufficient supply of vaccine available for everyone, our community will remain vulnerable. Individuals need to continue to wear a mask, watch their distance, wash their hands and avoid large crowds even if they receive the vaccine.

If an individual has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or if they have symptoms, it’s important for them to seek testing. Our community has worked hard to expand access, and we are confident in our ability to test people who need tested.

Testing will help our community stay ahead of disease spread and detect different variants of the virus, including the new and more contagious strain that has been reported in several states.

To learn more on how to get tested, visit our testing information page at health.springfieldmo.gov/COVIDtesting

Staying up-to-date

The health department is committed to keeping our community informed on vaccine distribution. There are several ways individuals can stay informed and up-to-date on the latest developments:
Sign up for regular email, text messages and automated phone calls at health.springfieldmo.gov/FinishStrong. There you can also sign a pledge to keep up prevention efforts.
Visit health.springfieldmo.gov/COVIDvaccine for information on vaccine safety and availability, as well as Frequently Asked Questions.
For questions not answered on our website, please call our COVID-19 call center Monday-Friday, 8 am to 5 pm at 417-874-1211. Selection Option 2.
Sign up to receive our news releases by using the Notify Me tool on our website.
Follow our social media accounts at facebook.com/SGCHD and twitter.com/SGCHD