Wright Memorial Hospital

Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group now scheduling second Moderna vaccination boosters

Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group in Trenton announced they are now scheduling a second Moderna COVID-19 vaccination booster for certain groups of people. Second booster clinics will begin on Friday, April 8, and will be scheduled for each Friday going forward. To be eligible to receive the second Moderna booster at this time, it must be […]

State Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern makes a plea for increased funding for public schools during Thursday’s House Budget Committee markup session. (Rudi Keller - Missouri Independent)

House Budget Committee rejects adding surplus revenue to Missouri public schools, colleges

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s record general revenue surplus was off-limits for spending plans as the House Budget Committee worked Thursday, defeating Democratic efforts to give boost money for public schools and state colleges. The only significant addition to education budgets approved by the committee was to restart the teacher Career Ladder program, providing $21 million to give experienced […]

COVID-19 Vaccine (Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash)

Another round of COVID booster shots authorized by FDA for those 50 and older

(Missouri Independent) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized another round of COVID-19 booster shots for people 50 and older, as well as those who are immunocompromised.  The decision to amend an earlier emergency use authorization for a second booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is meant to increase protection […]

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt

Missouri Attorney General joins multistate action to end CDC’s mask mandate on public transportation

The Missouri Attorney General joined 20 other states in a multistate action against President Biden’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s continued use of the unlawful mask mandate on public transportation. The attorneys general argue that the mandate exceeds the authority of the CDC. The Biden administration continues to use a failed interpretation of a […]

White House in Washington DC (Photo by Edoardo Cuoghi on UnSplash)

White House wants $10 billion for Ukraine aid, $22.5 billion for more COVID help

(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration is asking Congress to provide $10 billion in assistance to Ukraine and $22.5 billion in COVID-19 funding on a fast timeline — within the next week. White House acting budget director Shalanda Young wrote in a letter to lawmakers that this likely won’t be the last emergency funding request for either […]

Coronavirus Update

Grundy County Health Department reports 39 new cases of COVID-19, Sullivan County 4 new cases

Grundy County Health Department Tuesday evening reported 39 new cases of COVID-19 have occurred in the past week. That number raises the total since the pandemic began two years ago to 2686. Grundy County has three dozen active COVID cases with 66 deaths attributed by the health department to COVID-19. Vaccine Availability in Grundy County […]

Planned Parenthood

Missouri state health agency seeks control of Title X funds that go to Planned Parenthood

(Missouri Independent) – Missouri’s state health department has applied to oversee federal family planning funds, a move reproductive health advocates fear would give the state power to cut off funding for providers who refer patients for abortion services. During his confirmation hearing late last month, former Department of Health and Senior Services Director Donald Kauerauf’s […]

Donald Kauerauf, the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, speaks during a press conference at the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City on July 21, 2021

Before ouster, Missouri health director drafted a letter to senators that was never sent

(Missouri Independent) – On the Friday before a drawn-out confirmation battle ended with his ouster from office, Missouri state Health Director Donald Kauerauf wrote an impassioned letter meant to convince conservative legislators who were on the fence about his appointment.  The message: While he believed in vaccines and data and science, he didn’t believe in vaccine […]

Nurse Filling Syringe with COVID-19 Vaccine at MU Health Care (Photo Courtesy of MU Health Care

Missouri health centers continue to vaccinate, despite staffing shortages

As Community Health Centers (CHCs) mark a year of administering vaccines to underserved Missourians, the needs of the pandemic have strained their services. More than 40% of centers report they do not have enough staff to keep up the vaccination pace. Rodney Hummer, vice president of strategy for the Missouri Primary Care Association and a registered nurse, […]

White House plans speedy delivery to states of COVID vaccine for littlest kids

(Missouri Independent) – The Biden administration is preparing to ship COVID-19 vaccines to the states as quickly as possible, should the Food and Drug Administration approve an emergency use authorization for kids under 5. White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients said Wednesday that approval of the specially formulated vaccine would make 18 million young […]