Truman Medical Center 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.

Missouri schools have a few days left to request rapid COVID-19 tests from the state

October 15, 2020 By Alisa Nelson

Missouri K-12 public and private schools who want rapid COVID-19 tests must request them by next Wednesday at noon. Applications should be submitted to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The department will then work quickly to get the BinaxNOW antigen testing to schools.

Missouri schools have a few days left to request rapid COVID-19 tests from the state

The tests are not as uncomfortable as other nasal swab versions and they give results in about 15 minutes. They are supposed to be used on symptomatic school workers first and then students.

During a press conference today at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City, Gov. Mike Parson says the new testing could be a “game-changer” for Missouri.

“Testing is the key to how we move forward, whether it’s the economy, whether it’s the school systems, whether it’s public safety, whether it’s everyday lives. We just have got to keep expanding,” says Parson.

Missouri has received about 120,000 of the tests so far from the federal government with another 1.6 million designated for the state.

“Eighty-nine percent of the kids in the state of Missouri are in school – in classrooms as we speak or a hybrid version across the state. So, I think those are important,” says Parson. “I think every expert, everybody you would talk to, believes those kids should be in school. So, we’ve got to make sure that we get the testing.”

The state’s colleges and universities will have the chance to apply soon to also get the antigen tests.

Missouri K-12 schools can click here for more information about applying. Click on the antigen testing section.