1,950 spots for mass vaccination clinic filled

A pharmacist prepares a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at UC Davis Health on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021.

(AP Photo/Noah Berger, Pool)

UPDATE 4 p.m. Jan. 20

Butler County health officials have confirmed all spots in Friday's mass vaccination clinic have been filled.

Additional mass vaccination events are planned for Southeast Missouri, with information to be released as it becomes available.

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10:30 a.m. Jan. 20

Less than 200 spots remained as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday for a mass vaccination event to be held Friday in Poplar Bluff, according to the sign up website tracking registrations.

The event will vaccinate nearly 2,000 people, with registration opening at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

It is hosted by the Missouri Army National Guard and is the first such event in the state. Two more events are expected to be held in other Southeast Missouri counties in the coming weeks.

The National Guard will return to Poplar Bluff on Feb. 12 to give this week’s participants their second shot of the Pfizer vaccine. Both shots are needed to complete the vaccine process, according to officials.

Participants in Friday’s event must be pre-registered, Emily Goodin, Butler County Health Department director has said.

Those who are pre-registered will have from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to arrive at the clinic for their vaccines.

The clinic is being held at Hydro Adventures, 2801 Cheshire Blvd.

Local health officials say participants do not need to rush to the clinic at 9 a.m. Their vaccines will be held for them and those registered can arrive at any point during the clinic.

The clinic will have 10-15 vaccination stations, said Robbie Myers, Butler County Emergency Management Agency director.

These will be staffed by health workers from Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Saint Francis Hospital and Three Rivers College, as well as local and regional health department staff.

Participants will enter Cheshire Boulevard from Highway 53. After receiving their vaccine, they will take Cheshire Boulevard to Whiteley Park, where they will be asked to wait 10-15 minutes. Staff will be on hand at Whiteley Park to monitor for any adverse reactions.

Participants are expected to be directed to exit the park onto Highway 142.

Missouri residents who qualify for Phase 1A and Phase 1B-Tiers 1 and 2 can register at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D49AEA72DA4FAC16-vaccine.

Poplar Bluff Municipal Library will have computers available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday for those who need help with registration. An email address is needed to complete the registration process, which includes filling out an information sheet.

Staff at the Daily American Republic can also assist residents with registration from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, either in person at 208 Poplar St. or by phone, 573-785-1414.

Missouri is currently distributing the vaccination to those in Phase 1A (health care workers) and 1B-Tiers 1 and 2 (first responders, emergency services, public health infrastructure and high risk individuals).