St. Louis County Unveils New Way To Get On COVID-19 Priority List

CBS St. Louis

January 15, 2021

St. Louis County says it is setting up a new line of communication to let folks know when it is their turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The move is in part, aimed at seniors, who are not on the internet as much as others. County health officials say someone can fill out the registration form at stlcorona.com, email dphcovidvaccine@stlouisco.com or can call 314-615-2660 to get on the vaccine priority list. The phone option was announced Friday. The health department says it will call or email you back once it is your turn. "If you get on our list and find a different way of getting the vaccine, the doctor's office if they can vaccinate you, do it. This is not a competition between agencies. The goal is to get as many needles in as many arms as quickly as we can," said Christopher Ave with St. Louis County Health. Thursday, the state gave approval for those in group 1B (residents over 65 and those with underlying health conditions) to receive the vaccine. Ave said the county is still working to vaccinate remaining healthcare workers and do not currently have enough doses to begin Phase 1B. Some counties, such as St. Louis City, have not received any vaccine doses. Ave says health officials are working with other businesses to coordinate mass vaccination sites, so they can hit the ground running with Phase 1B. Vacant buildings, churches and gyms are possibilities for such sites.

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"As we do this, we are paying particular attention to vulnerable communities, communities that are underserved historically. Communities that have particular health problems. We want to make it easy for everyone," Ave said. Ave added that they will mobilize to administer the vaccine to the elderly and the homebound.