CoxHealth, Mercy partner with state in vaccine plan

Photo provided by Steve Edwards

CoxHealth is providing vaccines at The Meyer Center.

CoxHealth and Mercy Springfield Communities are among health care systems to partner with the state to increase coronavirus vaccine administration this month.

Missouri Hospital Association spokesperson Dave Dillon said via email the Springfield health care systems are slated to receive roughly 5,700 doses every other week in February. CoxHealth and Mercy are alternating on a weekly basis, according to an MHA news release. 

"I believe hospitals will help lead our state to better vaccine rates," CoxHealth President and CEO Steve Edwards tweeted yesterday in response to the organization's selection among health care systems statewide.

The state is allocating more than half of its weekly vaccine allocation of 76,000 doses from the federal government, according to the release. Dillon said hospitals have been supplied vaccines based on need thus far in the state's phased approach.

“We are committed to fairly allocating doses in regions throughout the state and working with vaccinators to ensure efficient administration of the vaccine," Gov. Mike Parson said in a separate release. “Our partnership with the selected hospitals will help provide the consistency needed for effective planning of high-volume vaccine clinics to occur at the local level.”

Dillon said the National Guard also would continue to receive vaccines and distribute them through mass vaccination events.

In Missouri’s tiered vaccine approach, essential workers and at-risk adults currently are able to receive doses, according to the state's COVID-19 vaccination website.