MU Health Care schedules drive-through vaccine clinics as new COVID vaccine arrives here

Just in time for drive-through vaccine clinics over the next three Saturdays, MU Health Care has secured doses of the new COVID vaccine, said Laura Morris, vaccine expert for MU Health Care.

"We actually just got word hot off the press earlier today that we're able to secure some 1,500 vaccines from Pfizer for our patients at the drive-through event," Morris said. "And hopefully to be able to continue to order and receive more distribution."

She had previously predicted it would be available by the end of this month.

Some major pharmacies also have received the newly formulated COVID vaccine. It replaces other formulations and isn't a booster but rather a new vaccine, she said.

"The previously approved bivalent vaccine has been removed from the FDA's authorized list, so no one is giving the old COVID vaccine," Morris said. "Any vaccines given this fall for COVID are the new updated formulation."

The updated COVID vaccine is a monovalent vaccine, reformulated to match an Omicron variant that was circulating during the summer, she said. The subvariants circulating now are closely related to it.

"Really, the recommendations from CDC are that anyone who has been previously vaccinated or has not been previously vaccinated, who has had an infection or who has not had an infection for adults and older children, the guidelines are to give one dose of the new updated monovalent formulation," Morris said. "And that's it for this year as far as we know. So I think the simplification of the recommendations move this into a cadence similar we see to influenza vaccine, and I think that's what we can expect moving forward."

MU Health Care is offering drive-through flu and COVID vaccines from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at South Providence Medical Park this Saturday, Sept. 30, and two other Saturdays, Oct. 14 and 28.

The drive-through clinics are to make it easier for people, Morris said.

"It's really about making vaccines accessible and convenient," she said "And we know those are some of the barriers that prevent people from getting vaccinated. So we want to try to address that as well as we can by providing vaccines in a safe and accessible environment and at a time where people can really get there and you can bring your whole family. There's no limit to the number of folks that can come in one car. And we can do a kid's vaccines, which I think is an important thing for busy families. They don't have to make another appointment. They don't have to go someplace unfamiliar and the parents and kiddos can get their vaccines at the same time."

No payment will be collected and individuals may provide their insurance cards. Other options are the Vaccine for Children Program.

"There's a wonderful program called a Bridge Program that the federal government has partnered with local pharmacies to provide COVID vaccines free of charge through the end of next year," Morris said.

Walgreens and CVS are participating pharmacies, she said.

COVID is circulating with the return to school and indoor activities. Morris said she had it recently, so she will wait 90 days for the new vaccine. She got her flu shot on Tuesday.

And what about the flu?

The past several flu seasons have been mild, but everyone has returned to normal activities without safeguards like masking, so it's not certain.

"I think what we see depends on how we respond and how we react when influenza starts to circulate," Morris said. "If people stay home from work and school and follow the good public health principles that we've learned do work, then I think we'll be able to contain our flu pandemic. Previous to COVID we experienced tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and deaths from influenza. So it's a serious infection and it requires a serious response."

Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on X at @rmckinney9.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: MU Health Care plans drive-through vaccine clinics on three Saturdays