UPDATE, FREE ACCESS: Registration opens today for Jan. 22 mass vaccination event

UPDATE JAN. 19

Registration is required for Jan. 22 mass vaccination event.

The Butler County Health Department has released the following information:

The National Guard will be hosting a vaccination clinic starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, January 22nd at Hydro Adventures in Poplar Bluff for those individuals that fall within Phase 1A, Phase 1B Tier 1, and Phase 1B Tier 2. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. There will only be 1950 doses of the Pfizer vaccine available. The link for this registration will be posted at 3pm today and will be open until Thursday January 21st at 10pm. The registration is separate from the BCHD, if you are on our list, you are NOT, registered for the National Guard event. THE VACCINE WILL NOT BE GIVEN TO ANYONE WHO DOES NOT REGISTER ONLINE.

Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

Jan. 15

A mass COVID-19 vaccine event will be held Jan. 22 in Poplar Bluff, the first such event for Southeast Missouri

The event was announced Friday by the Butler County Health Department.

It will allow nearly 2,000 Missouri residents who are over the age of 65, or who are aged 18-65 and considered high risk, to receive vaccines, said Emily Goodin, director of BCHD.

“It’s the first major mass clinic opened to this tier (in our region),” said Goodin. “We’ve vaccinated first responders and health care workers, and now we’re coming down to the community.”

The event will start at 9 a.m. at Hydro Adventures and will be done in partnership with the National Guard.

More information, including a map for traffic flow, will be released in coming days.

“We are so grateful that the National Guard is coming here to do this,” said Goodin. “We are partnering with our region. Three Rivers College is providing nursing students to help with vaccinations, and other health care partners are assisting.”

Participants will receive the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The second dose will be administered in another mass vaccination clinic Feb. 12 at Hydro Adventures.

The health department is working on setting up a pre-registration system for the Jan. 22 event, but as of Friday afternoon, could not confirm if it would be available for the event.

Goodin also stressed this event is separate from the health department’s vaccine waiting list. Approximately 800 people have signed up with the BCHD waiting list to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.

The Jan. 22 event involves vaccines from the National Guard and federal allotments. While those on the BCHD waiting list can attend the Jan. 22 event, no waiting list has been established for the National Guard vaccines.

The BCHD will receive vaccines from the state, but does not have a date for when those will become available. When the state vaccines do become available, the health department will begin serving those on its waiting list.

Goodin asked if anyone registered for the waiting list does receive a vaccine Jan. 22, that they contact the health department and have their name removed from the BCHD list.

Missouri is currently vaccinating Phase 1A, Phase 1B - Tier 1.

The state will move into vaccines for Phase 1B – Tier 2 next week, which includes protecting those who are at increased risk for severe illness, according to information from the state.

Phase 1B, Tier 2 includes: anyone 65 and older and any adults with: Cancer; Chronic Kidney Disease; COPD; Heart Conditions; Weakened immune system due to organ transplant; Severe obesity (BMI >40); Pregnancy; Sickle Cell Disease; Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; and individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome.

Phase 1B – Tier 1 involved protecting “those who keep us safe and help us during an emergency” : Public Health Administrators and Staff; Law Enforcement; Fire Services; Corrections; Emergency Management; Public Works; and Emergency Services.