State expects coronavirus vaccinations to ramp up soon

State officials say more coronavirus vaccines are on the way.

Gov. Parson said Thursday that Missouri’s weekly allotment of shots is going up 5%. The federal government is also directly shipping some shots to retail pharmacies like those at Walmart and Sam’s Club, starting Friday.

State health department director Dr. Randall Williams says he also expects a supply boost with the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine, starting in late February.

“We fully expect to have a significant amount of vaccine from the [Johnson & Johnson], a one-dose shot, the next week. And in the month of March, we expect to see that front-loaded.”

Williams says he expects every Missourian that wants the vaccine will be able to get it by June.

Gov. Parson says the vaccine will be distributed as fairly as possible.

“Nobody will get treated any better than anyone else. We will make sure that distribution is even.”