Republican lawmakers seek to curb local control over COVID-19 health orders
By Tessa Weinberg
Local control.
On Wednesday, a Missouri Senate committee debated a slew of bills filed by Republican lawmakers that aim to strip local authority from city and county officials and health boards during states of emergency.
Some bills would limit how often local public health orders and regulations can be implemented, including no more than a cumulative 30 days every 60 days or 14 days in a two-year period, unless approved by the legislature. Others would impose a 30-day comment period on such orders and require they be approved by local officials. Some would limit restrictions on the free exercise of religion.
The director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department said the COVID-19 vaccine is slowly starting to flow into the community. Clay Goddard told
Springfield News-Leader
Missouri’s governor announced the state would start vaccinating first responders for COVID-19 on Thursday and at-risk individuals, including folks over 65, as early as Monday.
In a news release, Gov. Mike Parson’s office reported the federal government planned to “significantly increase” vaccine supply next week so that people older than 65 or those with conditions putting them at higher risk of getting sick can start getting inoculated.
The news release did not say how many more doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines would be delivered in the coming days, though Parson said the number of doses received would be the “leading factor that dictates our movement through our plan.
Posted By: Nicole Rodriguez January 14, 2021 @ 4:26 pm Coronavirus, Local News, News
Missouri has started the next phase of the vaccination process, starting with shots for first responders, emergency workers, and health care workers who weren’t eligible during the first round.
On Monday, people age 65 and older and those at high risk for getting sick will officially be able to get the vaccine.
But the Springfield-Greene County Health Department says even though the governor’s office has approved giving out the vaccine to high-risk individuals, you won’t be able to get it yet.
Local health officials are still waiting for the first vaccines to arrive.