Vaccine Information

Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective ways to combat illness. Two vaccines for COVID-19 have been granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA.

• Pfizer/BioNTech
• Moderna

Both vaccines are recommended for teens and adults except individuals who are allergic to the vaccine or ingredients in the vaccine. The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is authorized for those 16 and over; the Moderna vaccine is authorized for 18 and older. Individuals who are immune-compromised, pregnant, or breastfeeding, should check with their doctor before getting the vaccine.

Vaccine availability:

With limited availability, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has prioritized vaccine distribution into phases:

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is committed to providing a free COVID-19 vaccination experience to all Missourians, including those without insurance. No person can be billed for the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination providers may charge an administration fee to insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, if applicable in your situation. Uninsured Missourians will be able to receive the vaccination regardless of their health insurance status.

Phase 1A

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is overseeing COVID-19 vaccine distribution in our state. Missouri continues to vaccinate individuals within Phase 1A, which is focused on vaccinating healthcare workers and long-term care residents.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department’s role in Phase 1A is to ensure healthcare workers outside of large healthcare systems have access to vaccine. If your organization has not already registered interest with our department, you can let us know you need COVID-19 vaccine for your staff by calling our call center Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm at 417-874-1211 or by emailing [email protected]

Phase 1B

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior services has sectioned Phase 1B of vaccine rollout into three tiers.

Phase 1B groups include high risk individuals, people 65 and older and some essential workers (critical infrastructure). To see which tier you may fall under, visit the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services website.

Although vaccine supply is limited at this time, it is slowly becoming available to individuals at high risk. We expect most individuals will receive the vaccine from their primary healthcare provider. Please visit our Vaccine for High Risk Individuals page for more information.  

We do not yet have a timeline for the beginning of Phase 1B-Tier 3 and Phase 2 vaccine distribution, but it is important to begin planning for which members of your workforce would like to receive a vaccine during this phase. Please visit our Vaccine for Essential Workers page for more information.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department does not yet have a timeline for vaccine distribution.

You can sign up for email updates to ensure you know the latest developments and vaccine news by clicking here.

What to know after receiving the vaccine:

Both COVID-19 vaccines stimulate a strong immune response that may cause mild and temporary symptoms in many individuals for 1-3 days. These are normal signs that your body is building protection:

• pain and swelling at the injection site
• fever   
• fatigue
• chills
• headaches
• muscle aches           
• nausea

Until more information is gathered on the level of protection that the vaccination provides against spreading COVID-19, we still ask that everyone use every available tool to help stop the pandemic. This includes the 3 Ws: wear a mask, watch your distance, and wash your hands.