St. Louis County Health Department Begins Vaccinating County Health Care Workers

CBS St. Louis

January 09, 2021

The St. Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH) began administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Friday morning to health care workers. The department received a shipment of 975 doses of the vaccine this week and on Friday, began vaccinating frontline health care workers. The process started with around 275 of the department's clinical employees. "As a frontline worker and a family man, it was my family and the job I do that encouraged me to get the shot," said Will Bogan III, a business manager for DPH Primary Care Integration. Department of Public Health nurse Barbara Forde, 70, was also one of the first people to be vaccinated on Friday. "I watched the 90-year-old lady get her vaccine and I said if she's still living, then I'll get the vaccine," said Forde. "Number two is I want to travel and my understanding is you're going to have to get the vaccine to travel."Next week, the department will begin vaccinations for health care workers across the county. County health care workers who are in the state's 1A category can request more information by emailing dphcovidvaccine@stlouisco.com. Those who qualify as 1A will be added to the vaccination list. According to the county, the state has approved other providers to vaccinate those within the 1A category but has not identified those providers yet.