UPDATED WITH VIDEO: Traffic control needed near vaccine clinic ahead of opening

Vehicles line up around 8:15 a.m. Friday, ahead of a mass vaccination clinic that opens at 9 a.m.

DAR/Paul Davis

UPDATE 8:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 22

People started lining up before 8 a.m. Friday for a mass vaccination clinic in Poplar Bluff.

The clinic is scheduled to open at 9 a.m., but traffic control was needed in the area of Highway 53 and Cheshire Boulevard well before that time.

DAR/Paul Davis

Cars were lined up for about two miles at points during the morning, stretching from Hydro Adventures, where the clinic will be held, to Westwood Boulevard.

The clinic will vaccinate only those 1,950 people who are pre-registered, local health officials have said.

The Butler County Health Department has said those who are registered can arrive at any time between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday to receive their vaccine. Their vaccines will not be given away to someone else, they have reported.

DAR/Paul Davis

Thursday, Jan. 21

Members of the Missouri Army National Guard spent much of Thursday setting up a mass vaccination clinic at Hydro Adventures in Poplar Bluff.

The clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, for the 1,950 people who pre-registered for the event. Participants can come to the site at any time before 4 p.m. to receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The second will be administered in the same location Feb. 12.

The clinic is open only to those who signed up ahead of time. Slots for the clinic filled in about 24 hours.

Residents who are signed up are encouraged to fill out their paperwork ahead of time by going to https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/vaccinators/Screening-COVID-1-Immunization.pdf .

This will help speed up the process, said local health officials. If someone cannot print out and bring the form with them, they will receive a copy to fill out in line.

The clinic is set up as a drive up event. Participants will not need to leave their vehicles.

They will entire Cheshire Boulevard from Highway 53 and travel to the 10-15 vaccination stations set up at Hydro Adventures. They will then be directed to a waiting area at Whiteley Park, where participants will be monitored for 10-15 minutes for any adverse reactions.