Vaccinations

St. Louis County is expanding its homebound vaccine program to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to people who can't travel to distribution centers. Advocates for people with disabilities in the St. Louis region say many people need that help.

People who work for organizations that help immigrants in the St. Louis region fear that many others are reluctant to get the vaccine. They worry that people who do not speak English won’t do so because of language access and a lack of information.

St. Louis County officials are providing the COVID-19 vaccine to residents of independent living facilities who don’t qualify for vaccines made available for nursing home residents.

The Madison County Health Department is partnering with churches, local NAACP chapters and other community organizations to schedule appointments for mobile vaccine sites.

Some people in the St. Louis region are driving hours to get the COVID-19 vaccine in rural areas. Regional health officials say people with resources are doing so when others can’t, but they don’t fault them for it.

State senators questioned health officials about inconsistencies and delays in vaccine distribution.

The state doesn't have nearly enough doses to cover the 3 million people who just became eligible for the coronavirus vaccine.

The number of new infections among nursing home residents in St. Louis County had been mostly declining since late spring. The most recent spike in cases represents a more than threefold increase compared to October.

Doctors at Washington University are investigating whether the commonly used measles, mumps and rubella vaccine could protect people against getting sick with the coronavirus. The large international study is based on the concept of trained immunity – the idea that live vaccines can turbocharge the immune system.

Public health experts are urging Missourians to get a flu shot ahead of a flu season that could likely arrive earlier and be more severe than last year’s.…