Mass vaccine event in Missouri to give 8,000 shots in 2 days

In Kansas City, Missouri, a two-day mass vaccination event is slated to administer 8,000 vaccine doses over the course of Friday and Saturday, according to health officials.

The two-day blitz, which is being held at Arrowhead Stadium, is the largest mass vaccination event in the state thus far, and will be distributing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, meaning recipients only need one shot to be fully vaccinated.

National Guard members are helping with logistics for the drive-thru site, which is expected to handle 4,000 vehicles each day and staff from Truman Medical Center in Kansas City will be giving shots.

“I think this has just been energizing for all of us ever since the vaccine’s become available,” Dr. Mark Steele, chief medical officer at Truman Medical Center , told ABC News Kansas City affiliated KMBC.

“Every additional person we can get vaccinated the closer we can get to herd immunity and the closer we get back to sort of normal life,” he added.

On Thursday, Gov. Mike Parson announced that Missouri will open vaccinations to everyone in the state starting April 9.

“With the progress we are currently seeing and vaccine supply expected to increase significantly in the coming weeks, we are well ahead of schedule with our vaccine plan,” Parson said. “Supply projections are subject to change, but it is critical that we start preparing for this potential influx and ensure there is a consistent number of people who are eligible and interested in receiving a vaccine.”

As of Thursday, Missouri had administered 33,139 doses of the vaccine per 100,000 residents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, putting it in the bottom half of states in terms of rollout speed. By comparison, New Mexico, which has had one of the most efficient rollouts, has administered 49,179 vaccines per 100,000 residents.

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