Missouri businesses oppose ban on COVID vaccine mandates, argue it’s their choice

(Missouri Independent) – Proposals that would bar COVID-19 vaccine mandates and provide greater exemptions for vaccinations more broadly faced a wave of opposition from Missouri business groups Wednesday. Representatives for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Associated Industries of Missouri, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and other business associations made clear to lawmakers […]

COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update

Four area health departments report on new cases of COVID-19; Daviess County to hold COVID-19 vaccine clinic

The Harrison County COVID-19 dashboard shows an increase of 20 cases since January 10th. There were 1,764 total cases as of January 11th, and 36 were active. There had been 1,352 confirmed cases and 410 probable cases. The Livingston County Health Center on January 12th reported 18 COVID-19 cases had been added since January 11th. […]

COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update

Three area health departments report on new cases of COVID-19

The Grundy County Health Department reports 46 new COVID-19 cases since December 10th, raising the total to 1,950. Fifty cases are active. More than 100 COVID-19 cases have been added since December 1st. Seventy-seven percent of those cases were unvaccinated. The Grundy County Health Department notes studies have shown that vaccines are effective against severe […]

Coronavirus Update

Three area health departments report on new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon

Twelve COVID-19 cases have been added for Grundy County since the health department’s update on the morning of December 1st. Health Department Administrator Elizabeth Gibson reports a total of 1,859 cases through December 1st. There have been 30 new cases this week. The number of active cases increased by nine to 36. Grundy County’s positivity […]

Hy-Vee or HyVee pharmacy website

Hy-Vee now offering free COVID-19 booster vaccines to all individuals aged 18 and older

Hy-Vee, Inc. announces today that free Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen COVID-19 vaccine booster doses are now available to all individuals ages 18 and older at Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations across its eight-state region. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend a booster dose for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccine recipients […]

NEW COVID Dashboard for Missouri

Breakthrough infection data added to Missouri’s COVID-19 dashboard

A new addition to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services statewide COVID-19 dashboard finds that vaccination remains a strong defense against the virus, and that older age and health co-morbidities are strongly correlated with “breakthrough infections.”  The new data identifies COVID-19 breakthrough infections among the fully vaccinated. The analysis is the result of a partnership […]

Mercer County Health Department

Mercer County Health Department to hold COVID-19 vaccine and flu clinics

The Mercer County Health Department will hold flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinics for adults and children. Walk-in flu vaccine clinics will be at the health department office in Princeton on November 29 and December 6 from 1:30 to 4:30. Pfizer vaccine clinics will be at the Smithfield Education Center of Princeton on November 17 and December […]

Lawsuit Graphic

Missouri leads 11 state coalition in filing suit to halt federal vaccine mandate

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt co-led an eleven-state coalition with Montana, Arizona, and Nebraska in filing a lawsuit against Joe Biden and the Biden Administration to halt their vaccine mandate on private employers with more than 100 employees. Missouri and the coalition of states are the first states to file suit against the vaccine mandate […]

State Representative Rusty Black

Audio: Seventh District State Representative Rusty Black on legislation, vaccine mandates and schools

Seventh District State Representative Rusty Black is finishing his fifth year in the legislature. He says he has gotten into a niche with a group of people who work with him on legislation. He is on the Missouri State Employee Retirement System Board of Trustees. He reports there is a piece of legislation he has […]

Limited supply of free pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children Ages 5-11 available at select Hy-Vee Pharmacies

Hy-Vee, Inc. announces that select Hy-Vee pharmacy locations are now administering free Pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5-11 without a prescription, per the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for this age group. Due to limited supply, these vaccines are available […]

Moderna and J&J COVID-19 booster shots now being administered to eligible Missourians

Following federal guidance issued from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has amended the state’s standing orders for Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine administration for those who are eligible for a booster shot. For individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the […]

COVID-19 boosters from Moderna, Johnson & Johnson OK’d along with ‘mix and match’ shots

(Missouri Independent) – Tens of millions of additional Americans are now eligible to receive a booster dose of one of the COVID-19 vaccines after federal health officials gave the green light late Thursday to follow-up doses of the shots made by Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Anyone who received the one-shot J&J vaccine is now eligible […]

Kids age 5 to 11 next in line for COVID-19 vaccines as White House rolls out plans

(Missouri Independent) – Smaller needles. Redesigned shipments to ease the storage needs in pediatricians’ offices. And enough vials of the COVID-19 vaccine to inoculate the 28 million U.S. children between ages 5 and 11. Those are among the plans announced by the White House on Wednesday as federal and state officials prepare for a regulatory decision to […]

Flu Season

Protection from flu may be even more important this year

Flu season has arrived in Missouri, and state health officials are urging individuals to get vaccinated now to protect themselves and their families, prevent the spread of flu, and ease the burden of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses that have and continue to impact the healthcare system. Although the number of flu cases reported through […]

University of Missouri or MU

University of Missouri System allows classroom mask mandate to expire

(Missouri Independent) – The University of Missouri System allowed a mask mandate for its four campuses to expire after Friday, October 15, 2021. Last month, the Board of Curators extended a rule that face masks be worn in classrooms by a 5-4 vote. That policy was scheduled to end at the close of Friday, and a meeting […]