FDA Archives - Missourinet

The latest on Missouri’s upcoming distribution of COVID-19 vaccines

December 3, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

If the Food and Drug Administration approves Pfizer’s request for emergency use of the company’s COVID-19 drug, Missouri could get the first shipment of the vaccine later this month. The first batch is expected to include enough doses to vaccinate 51,000 people, followed by enough to immunize 64,000 the next week.

DHSS Director Dr. Randall Williams

The first phase of the state’s immunization plans will allow healthcare workers to get the two-dose vaccine about one month apart. Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Director Randall Williams tells Missourinet vaccinating nurses and other hospital employees will help to alleviate a shortage of those workers.

“About 10% – the reason they’re not at work is because they have COVID or they’re quarantined,” says Dr. Williams. “Getting them vaccinated by the end of January at our ten additional sites, is going to be huge for taking care of that issue. So, we’re incredibly excited about that.”

According to the state’s new COVID-19 vaccine website, the first phase will also include other essential workers like daycare and school workers, first responders and some food processing employees.

On Tuesday, the CDC prioritized long-term care residents to get vaccinated. During a Capitol press conference today with the governor, Williams says the extra Pfizer doses will be used to vaccinate both long-term care residents and employees beginning around December 21. Missouri has about 58,000 patients living in these facilities.

The state is expected to get doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for 105,000 other hospital workers. Williams says the state is on track to have all of its 300,000 healthcare workers vaccinated by the end of January.

Williams says residents and staff within Missouri’s congregate facilities like prisons and mental healthcare will begin getting vaccinated in February.

Under Missouri’s plan, the general public could get vaccinated in phase 2 and 3 as the vaccine availability increases.

The state has identified 21 sites to store the vaccinations. Their locations are a mystery. Williams tells Missourinet the federal government has restricted the state from releasing their locations.

“We’re not allowed to share that for security reasons,” says Dr. Williams.

He says the drugs can be stored for up to six months.

“To receive the distribution, you have to assure the CDC that you can vaccinate that amount of people in 10 days,” says Williams. “You can’t hoard it. You can’t ask for 10,000 doses and say we’re going to use it over three months.”

To view the state’s new COVID-19 vaccine website, click here.

Hawley calls for surge of personal protective equipment into Missouri hospitals

March 29, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

A U.S. Senator from Missouri who serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill says the state’s hospitals need more personal protective equipment (PPE).

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R) speaks to Missourinet during an interview on March 25, 2020 (photo courtesy of Senator Hawley’s office)

Senator Josh Hawley (R) tells Missourinet that he’s spoken to the leaders of almost every hospital in the state.

“All of them … rural, urban, suburban … all of them need more,” Hawley says. “They need more tests, they need more protective equipment, they need more masks.”

Hawley says the hospitals need a large infusion of the equipment.

“We’ve got to surge this into the hospitals, frankly I think that the FDA has been too slow in getting this stuff out there,” says Hawley.

Hawley is in regular contact with Governor Mike Parson (R), who announced Saturday evening that Missouri’s Strategic National Stockpile warehouse has shipped about 5,000 gloves and 2,717 cases of masks to hospitals, EMS and long-term care facilities in the state.

The governor also says about 43,000 face shields have been shipped, along with 908 cases of surgical gowns. There are about 18 to 30 surgical gowns in a case, depending on the size.

Parson also says PPE for first responders have been purchased, and that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has ordered millions of items. They include 6.6 million surgical masks, 5.8 million gloves, 4.3 million N-95 masks, 214,000 containers of disinfecting wipes and about 74,000 safety goggles.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced on Sunday afternoon that there are now 903 confirmed coronavirus cases in Missouri, in addition to 12 deaths.

As for Senator Hawley, he says Missouri hospitals will also need more ventilators, and he praises President Trump for invoking the Defense Production Act. The president invoked it on Friday, ordering General Motors (GM) to produce ventilators for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Politico” reports President Trump wants to see GM produce the ventilators at their recently closed plant in Lordstown, Ohio.

Missouri Senator Hawley hopeful that stimulus package will pass soon (AUDIO)

March 24, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s junior senator is hopeful that a bipartisan agreement can be reached soon on a $2 trillion economic stimulus package, in response to the coronavirus crisis.

The “Washington Post” reported Tuesday night that lawmakers were reviewing final language on Capitol Hill.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R) says the bill would provide direct assistance to individuals and families in Missouri who need it the most.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley’s official portrait (2020 photo courtesy of Senator Hawley’s press office)

“$1,200 for every individual who needs it, every adult,” Hawley says. “$500 for every child, so the bigger the family, the more assistance that you get.”

He says that phases out for those with higher incomes: couples who earn more than $150,000 and singles who make $75,000 or more.

Senator Hawley tells Missourinet he fought to ensure that the working poor receive the full benefit.

He also says the bill should have been voted on days ago, saying that Democrats on Capitol Hill “put up roadblocks.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) tweeted Tuesday that Senate Democrats are “fighting to make sure there are no bailouts without strict conditions that put people and workers first.”

As for Hawley, he says the bill includes small business relief.

“Small business will be able to cover 100 percent of their payroll with federal assistance under this plan, 100 percent. The idea is that they won’t have to lay off anybody,” says Hawley.

Hawley, who serves on the Senate Small Business Committee, says small businesses will be able to keep their doors open, keep payrolls going and pay their health care costs, under the bill.

Missouri’s governor has warned that thousands of Missourians will lose their jobs, because of the coronavirus.

Hawley is aware of Governor Mike Parson’s warning. Senator Hawley says the bill would boost unemployment benefits for Missourians.

“This bill would triple unemployment insurance available to Missourians, up $600 a week in the state of Missouri,” Hawley says. “That’s vital.”

During an interview with Missourinet, Hawley also praises President Trump for invoking the Defense Production Act.

Hawley also says the FDA has been slow in getting personal protective equipment out to Missouri hospitals, urban and rural. Hawley says every Missouri hospital he’s spoken to needs more tests and masks. He also says they’ll need more ventilators.

Click here to listen to the full three-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, which was recorded on March 24, 2020. Senator Hawley was on Capitol Hill.