By Associated Press - Wednesday, January 6, 2021

ST. LOUIS (AP) - The national pharmacy chain CVS Health said Wednesday that it has completed coronavirus vaccinations at more than 100 long-term care facilities in Missouri, but that it still has 500 more to go.

The U.S. Department of Health and Senior Services last year selected CVS Health and Walgreen to administer vaccinations at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities across the U.S. In Missouri, vaccinations began Dec. 28.

CVS said it expects to finish administering the first round of COVID-19 vaccine doses in the nation’s long-term care facilities by Jan. 25, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Pharmacists will visit each facility three times, to administer the first and second doses to staff and residents. Missouri is using vaccine from biotech company Moderna at nursing homes, and it requires two doses, 28 days apart.

CVS will administer vaccinations in more than 600 long-term care facilities in Missouri in total, and has so far completed the first doses in 103. The company said it has given 5,847 shots at Missouri facilities, and has 153 more locations scheduled in the upcoming week.

Missouri’s first group for vaccinations includes front-line health care workers in addition to long-term care facility staff and residents. The next group will include individuals at high risk due to medical conditions, people age 65 and older, first responders, and essential workers.

Missouri reported 2,854 new cases of the virus on Wednesday, and 33 new deaths. The state has cited 408,443 confirmed cases and 5,858 deaths since the onset of the pandemic.

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