More than 25,000 people in the St. Louis area will be able to get the COVID-19 vaccine at various events over the next couple weeks. Among the events are several state-led clinics in St. Louis County, St. Charles County and the City of St. Louis.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has been criticized over the state’s vaccine rollout plan. Leaders in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas have complained rural counties are getting more doses than they need, while the urban areas are getting less causing people to drive hundreds of miles for shots.
Gov. Mike Parson previously said the state is working to hold more mass vaccination events in the St. Louis area, with the goal of getting more Missouri National Guard teams set up in the area by April 1. To that end, this Saturday and Sunday the City of St. Louis Health Department will hold a mass vaccination event at America’s Center Convention Complex in downtown St. Louis. The vaccine events are by invitation and are appointment only.
Mayor Krewson says that they expect to deliver 1,500 to 2,000 doses of vaccine each day. Invitations are based on people who are eligible who have signed up with the St. Louis Health Department and cannot be shared with others.
They are only meant for the people who have been invited. If someone shows up with an invitation that does not belong to them they will not move forward in the queue.
The city expects to vaccinate around 10,000 people over the next two weeks. Mayor Krewson says the state of Missouri is getting around 120,000 doses a week. The state may be getting as many as 500,000 doses per week by May.
One of the main things holding back more people being vaccinated is the number of people eligible to give the shot. Every county in the region is looking for more people to assist in administering the vaccinations.
African Americans number 513,403 or 18% of the population in St. Louis.