KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thousands of Kansas City metro frontline health care workers have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Truman Medical Center – the first metro hospital to receive Pfizer’s vaccine earlier this month – has administered more than 1,000 doses.
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The University of Kansas Health System received its first doses on Dec. 10, and has a goal of vaccinating 1,000 people per week. All of its Pfizer vaccines have been used, and they now are administering Moderna’s version.
KU also is one of Kansas’ five storage locations for the vaccine.
HCA Midwest has vaccinated more than 2,500 people and is holding clinics all week to continue distribution.
Missouri’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan includes frontline health care workers who are “patient facing” and staff and residents at long-term care facilities in Phase 1A, which currently is in progress. However, veterans at the Kansas City VA Medical Center began receiving doses of the vaccine over the weekend.
Phase 1B includes high-risk populations, first responders and essential workers. The plan identifies the following as essential workers:
- First responders.
- Childcare workers.
- Teachers and education staff.
- Water/wastewater workers.
- Energy workers.
- Critical manufacturing workers.
- Food and agriculture workers.
Phase 2 allows populations with an “increased risk” of contracting COVID-19, such as prisoners and the homeless, to be vaccinated. The rest of Missouri residents are not expected to have access to the vaccine until Phase 3.
