Vaccine event at MSU sets record

On its way toward inoculating more than 6,100 people, a vaccination event at Missouri State University broke a state record.
 
The April 8-9 event at Hammons Student Center on Friday administered 4,385 doses, breaking the single-day record of 3,999 set in St. Charles County, according to a news release.  
 
"It is the administration of the vaccine widely that will allow us to return to normal," MSU President Clif Smart said at an April 8 news conference.

In all, the event vaccinated 6,131 people. MSU and the Springfield-Greene County Health Department worked with partners including the city of Springfield, Drury and Evangel universities, Ozarks Technical Community College and Springfield Public Schools.  

The vaccination event utilized the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  

In addition to the MSU event, regional health care organizations provided 7,500 doses elsewhere in the community, bringing the two-day total to 13,631 vaccinations, according to the release.  

Health Department data show nearly 34% of Greene County residents had initiated the vaccination process as of April 9. On that day, 22.3% were fully vaccinated, according to the Health Department dashboard.

That's close to the 25% vaccination level required under the City Council-approved plan to move into the Road to Recovery yellow phase on April 16. The yellow phase requires masking and recommends physical distancing but removes most occupancy restrictions and allows mass gatherings of under 500 people, with larger gatherings allowed at a 50% capacity, according to past reporting.

The green phase, which will remove the ordinance, including the masking mandate, requires thresholds of less than 20 new cases per day, under 20 hospitalizations in COVID-19 isolation and a vaccination rate of 50% of the eligible population.