JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Millions of Missourians will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks when the state activates its next tiers.
Phase 2, which includes about 880,000 people, will be activated on March 29. Phase 3, which includes all Missouri adults, will be activated on April 9.
"With the progress we're seeing and vaccine supply expected to increase significantly, we are way ahead of schedule," Missouri Gov. Parson said during his COVID-19 briefing Thursday afternoon. "It is critical we start preparing for this potential influx of vaccine."
When all of the phases are activated, 4.5 million Missouri residents will be eligible to receive the vaccine, but approximately 40% of them will choose not to be vaccinated, Parson said.
The state is working with FEMA to set up vaccination sites in urban areas using the federal vaccine supply. Parson said the sites will likely be set up in St. Louis and Kansas City, and he is working with the federal government to finalize details.
These FEMA sites will be in addition to the "mega" vaccination clinics that are scheduled in the St. Louis area in the coming weeks.
Watch Parson's briefing in the video player below.
Here's who is eligible under Phase 2
- Chemical Sector: Employees engaged in the manufacture, store, use, and transport of potentially dangerous chemicals and other diverse products in the chemical sector that are essential to modern life and economic activity.
- Commercial Facilities Sector: Employees engaged in activities related to the eight subsectors within the commercial facilities sector.
- Construction Sector: Employees or contractors engaged in the construction or repair of buildings, infrastructure or industrial facilities.
- Critical Manufacturing Sector: Employees in critical manufacturing engaged in the production of certain goods.
- Defense Industrial Base Sector: Employees that contribute to products and services that are essential to mobilize, deploy, and sustain military operations and national defense.
- Financial Services Sector: Employees within the financial services sector.
- Food/Agriculture Sector – remaining: Remaining populations within the sector not included in 1B, including restaurants.
- Government: Other state and local government designated personnel required to provide essential services.
- Higher Education: Faculty and staff at public, private, and/or nonprofit higher education institutions.
- Disproportionately Affected Populations: Populations at increased risk of acquiring or transmitting COVID-19, with emphasis on racial/ethnic minorities not otherwise included in 1B.
- Homeless: Populations at increased risk of acquiring or transmitting COVID-19, excluding those that were already included in 1B.