Thousands of COVID-19 doses go unused at rural Missouri mass vaccination events Steve Vockrodt, The Kansas City Star
Mar. 5 Mass coronavirus vaccination events in rural Missouri regularly end with hundreds of remaining vaccines, records obtained by The Star show.
While the records show unused doses get redistributed to other providers and very few go to waste, it calls into question whether the state s plan to have mass vaccine events in rural areas has been an efficient method to administer vaccinations.
In all, 28 mass vaccination events between Feb. 22 and Feb. 27 in rural Missouri resulted in 7,735 doses that remained unused after the events ended, compared to 47,143 vaccinations that were administered, according to records from the Missouri Department of Public Safety.
Thatâs the experience of Makenzie Hirschinger, who lives in Fulton.Â
In-home caregiver and mother Makenzie Hirschinger feeds her 1-year-old son, Jensen, who has Down syndrome. Annabel Thorpe, KOMU 8 Reporter
Hirschinger is a mother to 9-year-old Ayden, 2-year-old Spencer, and 1-year-old Jensen. Spencer has cerebral palsy, which is a motor disability, and Jensen has Down syndrome, which means he has an additional chromosome that alters the course of his development.
Both of these medical complexities may put Jensen and Spencer at a high-risk for severe illness if they were to contract COVID-19, according to the Center for Disease Control. If they were adults, they would fall into the high-risk category currently being vaccinated in Missouri under Phase 1B - Tier 2.
Giving plasma, chicken robbery, bar-free Mardi Gras: News from around our 50 states From USA TODAY Network and wire reports, USA TODAY
Alabama
Auburn: Auburn University is fully resuming on-campus operations that were disrupted by the coronavirus last year. All optional remote instruction ended Sunday, and most employees who have been working on a virtual basis will return to campus Monday, the Opelika-Auburn News reports. The decision to reopen was based on multiple factors, said Dr. Fred Kam, director of the university medical clinic. “You’re looking at all the data, all of the information and … you’re forecasting on where you think things will be,” Kam said. The university has seen a downward trend in COVID-19 since 113 cases were reported during the week ending Jan. 17. The university said 75 new virus cases were self-reported during the week ending Jan. 31, three fewer than the previous week. The school also reported a 0.9% positivity rate among tho
From USA TODAY Network and wire reports
Alabama
Auburn: Auburn University is fully resuming on-campus operations that were disrupted by the coronavirus last year. All optional remote instruction ended Sunday, and most employees who have been working on a virtual basis will return to campus Monday, the Opelika-Auburn News reports. The decision to reopen was based on multiple factors, said Dr. Fred Kam, director of the university medical clinic. “You’re looking at all the data, all of the information and … you’re forecasting on where you think things will be,” Kam said. The university has seen a downward trend in COVID-19 since 113 cases were reported during the week ending Jan. 17. The university said 75 new virus cases were self-reported during the week ending Jan. 31, three fewer than the previous week. The school also reported a 0.9% positivity rate among those tested through its voluntary sentinel testing, according to data released Tuesday. Multiple safeguards are in
A consulting firm is helping Missouri identify "vaccine deserts" to try and make the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines as equitable as possible, with attention now focused on addressing areas within the two largest cities.