Four Phases of Vaccine Distribution

The availability of effective vaccines against COVID-19 is a significant step towards halting the spread of a virus that has claimed so many loved ones, and has changed all of our lives. DPH has been working on plans for vaccinations for months with regional partners. Now that St. Louis County has begun receiving vaccine from the state, DPH is putting these plans into action.
The state of Missouri is tasked with managing the vaccine rollout and determines what groups are eligible to receive the vaccine and when. The state’s website, https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/vaccinators/ , contains information about vaccine eligibility.
The vaccine categories the state of Missouri has created are as follows:
• Phase 1a (patient-facing healthcare providers and long-term care facility residents and staff)
• Phase 1b (high-risk individuals between ages 18-64; individuals 65+; first responders; essential workers)
• Phase 2 (populations at increased risk, such as prisoners and unhoused individuals)
• Phase 3 (all Missouri residents)
Right now, the first group (Phase 1a) is the only group eligible to receive the vaccine. That group consists of patient-facing healthcare workers and long-term care facility residents and staff.
The St. Louis County Department of Public Health began administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Friday, Jan. 8 in north St. Louis County. DPH received a shipment of 975 doses of the vaccine last week. In accordance with Missouri Department of Health and Human Services guidance, DPH is using this first round of doses to vaccinate patient-facing health-care workers, starting with approximately 275 DPH clinical employees.

These workers are in the 1a category of vaccine recipients as defined by the state.
Next week, DPH will begin vaccinations for health-care workers across the County (those who fit within the definition of 1a), a process that will continue until the state notifies the County to proceed to the next category (1b). While the department currently is focused on healthcare workers in the 1a category, it is already preparing to expand to the 1b category when the state allows.
Because the County is still distributing vaccines to individuals who are part of Phase 1a, at this time no vaccines are available to the general public.
NOTE: Any St. Louis County health-care workers who are in the 1a category can request additional information by emailing dphcovidvaccine@stlouisco.com. Those who qualify as 1a will be added to a vaccination list. You can follow DPH plans and guidance on stlcorona.com.
St. Louis County Department of Public Health is using a new texting platform to communicate COVID-19 information. This new phone number is 855-788-7012.
Pharmacy companies such as Walgreens and CVS will work to vaccinate those who work and live-in long-term care facilities as part of a national contract that is being managed at the federal level. The state has approved other vaccinators in St. Louis County and DPH will continue working with them closely The vaccine distribution process is going to take time, and much depends on how many doses Missouri receives and distributes to vaccine providers across the state.
Persons are urged the vaccine as soon as you are able, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Once you have been vaccinated you are 95% protected against COVID-19. It’s been described as “PPE at a molecular level.” But it’s estimated that between 75%-85% of Americans will need to be vaccinated for us to reach herd immunity.

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