COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Thousands of Boone County residents and University of Missouri Health Care patients have already signed up to say they’re interested in getting the coronavirus vaccine.
As of Wednesday, more than 17,000 people have shown interest through the Boone County health department’s online survey to receive their coronavirus vaccine.
MU Health as of Wednesday had its online survey open for five days and had 10,000 people show interest in getting the vaccine.
As many await for supply to become available, questions remain about where they can get the vaccine and when is the appropriate time to get it.
Dr. Margaret Day, an MU Health family doctor and member of the vaccine committee, says that the online surveys are not a place to register for the vaccine.
“The purpose for those surveys is to allow people to get their information captured including contact information, so that when we have vaccine, people will be invited to set an appointment,” Day said.
Missouri is currently in Tier 2 of Phase 1B of the state coronavirus vaccination plan. That tier includes people age 65 and older and those with underlying conditions that make them more vulnerable to COVID-19. However, large-scale vaccinations of those in Tier 2 have not started in Boone County, with health providers citing a lack of supply.
The administration has been uneven across the state, with some counties already starting to vaccinate people in Tier 2. Some health care providers in Cole County have begun those vaccinations.
The CDC reports more than 265,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine have been administered statewide. The state has received more than 600,000 doses. Officials caution there is a lag in reporting numbers of vaccines administered.
Day said MU Health will not administer vaccines in primary care doctors’ office. Patients can’t walk into or call their doctor’s office and schedule a vaccine appointment.
Instead, Day said, MU Health has opened clinics that give people a specific place and time to receive their vaccination. MU Health has identified Faurot field as a mass vaccination site and continues to look for other sites as vaccine supplies increase.
Check back for more on this developing story and watch ABC 17 News at 5 and 6.
