Missouri Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo Archives

Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium will be mega vaccination site for two-day event

March 12, 2021 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s governor announced Thursday in Jefferson City that the state will be hosting a mega vaccination site at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium next Friday and Saturday, March 19 and 20th.

State Sen. Barbara Washington (D-Kansas City) briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on March 11, 2021, about the Arrowhead Stadium mega vaccinations (photo courtesy of Missouri Governor Parson’s Flickr page)

Governor Mike Parson tells Capitol reporters that his administration is working as quickly as possible to meet the higher vaccine interest in urban populations, while keeping vaccine distribution equitable across the state.

“Two (Missouri) National Guard teams will be on the grounds Friday and Saturday (March 19 and 20) from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to vaccinate an expected total of six to 7,000 eligible Missourians,” Parson says.

The COVID vaccinations will be administered in Arrowhead Stadium’s parking lot, and not on the Chiefs football field.

“Names of the eligible Missourians will be chosen from a list of those who have previously signed up to receive the vaccine with the Jackson County health department,” says Parson.

The governor says those selected will be notified of their appointment date and time, along with further instructions.

State Sen. Barbara Washington (D-Kansas City), who joined the governor at Thursday’s Jefferson City press conference, is also helping to organize the event. She notes the Arrowhead event is just for Jackson County residents, which includes Kansas City, Raytown and Grandview.

Washington says organizers are working with the Urban League and are also reaching out to the most vulnerable. She notes you must have an appointment.

Senator Washington, who serves on the Senate Health and Pensions Committee, says tents will be set up in Arrowhead Stadium’s parking lot, and says nurses will administer some shots on buses.

Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jackson County health officials, Truman Medical Center, KCATA and state lawmakers like Washington and Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo (D-Independence) are all helping to organize the two-day event.

During the Statehouse press conference, Governor Parson also discussed COVID numbers and says we are winning the fight against COVID. The governor says the numbers continue to trend in the right direction, and he’s emphasizing the state’s balanced approach.

“Missouri is still leading the nation at second-lowest of average daily cases. Our seven-day (COVID) positivity is 4.5, and hospitalizations have dropped below 900,” Parson says.

Missouri vaccinators have now administered more than 1.6 million shots, which includes the first and second doses. That’s 17.5 percent of Missouri’s population.

The state Department of Health and Senior Services’ (DHSS) COVID dashboard says Missouri vaccinators are now administering about 33,000 doses per day.

DHSS: Four have tested positive for COVID during special session testing at Missouri Capitol

August 5, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

State health officials say four people have tested positive for the coronavirus, during recent testing events at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City.

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams briefs Capitol reporters in Jefferson City on August 5, 2020 (photo courtesy of the governor’s Flickr page)

The testing has taken place during Missouri’s special legislative session on violent crime, a session that continues. Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Kansas City, called on the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to provide testing to anyone working within the Capitol in conjunction with the special session.

DHSS Director Dr. Randall Williams responded to Senator Rizzo’s call, and there have been several days of testing. Missouri lawmakers, staff members and Capitol reporters have been eligible for the tests.

DHSS says of the 228 total individuals who have been tested at the Capitol, four tested positive. During a Capitol media briefing in Jefferson City today, Dr. Williams told Missourinet that he would brief legislative leaders about the numbers first, then would release them.

His office e-mailed the numbers to Missourinet about two hours later.

Leader Rizzo has praised the community testing events that DHSS has held with the Missouri National Guard, saying that testing events in the Capitol would help ensure the health and safety of those within the building.