WEST PLAINS, MO – Ozarks Healthcare, the Missouri National Guard, Howell County Health Department, and City of West Plains are partnering to host a mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the West Plains Civic Center on Feb. 19. Booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine only will be administered to those who received their initial dose of the vaccine at the initial clinic on Jan. 29. Health officials encourage those who are eligible to receive their second dose of the vaccine on Feb. 19 to not to skip or miss the clinic due to vaccine availability and health concerns.
“There are rumors circulating about a first dose being enough to protect you against COVID-19,” Mahan said. “One dose of the Pfizer vaccine can reduce the average person’s risk of getting the virus by about 50 percent. Clinical research shows that you won’t hit the 90 to 95 percent protection range against the virus until a week or more after your second vaccine. It’s important you take advantage of the vaccine while you can for the best potential immunity against COVID-19.”
Reminders and designated appointments will be communicated to those who are eligible to receive their second dose of the vaccine on Feb. 19 before the clinic by email and phone call. Individuals will be asked to arrive at the West Plains Civic Center on Feb. 19 at a designated time frame according to his or her last name between the following times:
A-C: 7:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
D-I: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
J-M: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
N-S: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
T-Z: 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
All individuals who will be vaccinated on Feb. 19 will be those who signed up to receive their initial dose of the vaccine through Ozarks Healthcare’s online sign-up form and are declared eligible by the state of Missouri’s vaccination criteria of being in Phase 1A, Phase 1B-Tier 1, and Phase 1B-Tier 2. Full tier definitions can be found on https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/.
“While Ozarks Healthcare is an approved high-throughput vaccination site in Missouri, we are not guaranteed to receive the Pfizer vaccine on a continual basis,” Katie Mahan, Director of Ozarks Healthcare’s Pharmacy, said. “Any leftover doses from the clinic on Feb. 19 will be distributed to more vaccination clinics in the state.
In the event wintry weather becomes a concern for the clinic on Feb. 19, notifications will be communicated.
“Health and safety is always our number one priority,” Chris Gilliam, Howell County Health Department Director, said. “We will continue to monitor the weather and road conditions throughout the week and notify the public about alternate dates, extended hours, or other arrangements if changes occur.”
Individuals who have not received their COVID-19 vaccine and wish to do so once it becomes available to them may continue to sign up through Ozarks Healthcare’s website at www.ozarkshealthcare.com. Beginning Feb. 12, individuals may notice a change in the way the sign-up form appears online as it will be redirected to the Missouri Vaccine Navigator, a secure registry tool recently launched by the state of Missouri to assist Missourians in receiving their COVID-19 vaccine. The Navigator allows individuals to complete a questionnaire to determine eligibility and register for a vaccine clinic as more are organized throughout the state.
As dictated by new state guidance, non-Missouri residents who want to receive the vaccine once it becomes available to them may only be eligible to be vaccinated in Missouri if they are employed or receive primary medical care in Missouri.
Non-Missouri residents who wish to sign up to receive their initial dose of the vaccine should call the Navigator Hotline at 877-435-8411.
Non-Missouri residents who need their second dose of the Moderna vaccine need to call Ozarks Healthcare’s COVID-19 Hotline at 417-505-7120 to schedule their second dose.
Registrants will be notified by Navigator staff when the activation of a new vaccination phase occurs and alerted when they become eligible to receive the vaccine. In addition, the Navigator will also remind registrants when it is time to schedule their second dose.
Those who have previously signed up through Ozarks Healthcare’s original online sign-up form are encouraged to sign up through the Navigator again to ensure they are added to the state’s waiting list in addition to that of the organization. Duplicate sign-ups do not prohibit an individual’s eligibility to receive the vaccine.
Ozarks Healthcare is a vaccination site serving the Missouri’s Region G, which includes the south-central portion of the state. The next vaccination clinic to administer the Moderna vaccine to be offered through Ozarks Healthcare is slated to occur on Feb. 17, Mahan said.
“State officials have verified Ozarks Healthcare will be allocated doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to distribute in clinics on specific dates in late February through early March,” Mahan said. “Our next scheduled clinic will occur on Feb. 17. Individuals must first register through the Navigator, which can be found on Ozarks Healthcare’s website. Individuals will then be contacted by Navigator staff to verify their appointment date, time, and location.”
Clinic dates are expected to occur on the following dates:
Feb. 17 – Initial doses of the Moderna vaccine administered at Ozarks Healthcare
Feb. 17 – Second doses of the Moderna vaccine administered (for those who received their initial dose on Jan. 20 or earlier) at Ozarks Healthcare Parkway Center
More information will be shared by Ozarks Healthcare as future vaccination clinics are confirmed. To learn more or to sign up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, visit www.ozarkshealthcare.com.
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Ozarks Healthcare is a system of care encompassing eight primary care and 17 specialty clinics, along with complete rehabilitation, behavioral healthcare, and home health services. While the 114-bed acute care hospital cares for more than 5,400 admissions, the entire health system has more than 364,000 patient visits annually in South Central Missouri and Northern Arkansas. For more information about Ozarks Healthcare, visit www.OzarksHealthcare.com.
