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Coping with COVID: Missouri among lowest in nation for rate of distribution of COVID-19 vaccine

When it comes to distribution of the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, national data shows that around 4 percent of Missourians expected to receive two doses of the vaccine had received the first shot as of Sunday, Jan. 24. This puts Missouri last among the states, just behind Idaho at 4.1 percent.

According to the data, 4.4 percent of people in Illinois have received the first shot, which ranked 44th of the 50 states.

Both Missouri and Illinois are below the percent for the entire country. As of Sunday, 5.6 percent of Americans have received the first dose.

Missouri has administered two doses to 1.2 percent or residents, which is 13th in the county. The data shows 1.1 percent of Illinoians have both doses, which ranks 21st. Both are above the 1.0 percent for the country as a whole.

Missouri has received 661,400 doses of the vaccine, according to CDC data, and has administered 317,737, about 48 percent of the stock it has on hand. The usage percentage of 48 percent ranks 40th in the county.

Illinois has administered 699,072 of the 1,417,250 doses it has received as of Sunday, a usage percentage of 49 percent. The state ranks 36th in usage.

According to CDC data, 53 percent of the distributed doses in the United States have been administered. North Dakota and West Virginia have the highest rates in the country at more than 80 percent.

Vaccine plans for both Missouri and Illinois put health care workers and long-term care facilities in Group 1A, the first people to get the shot. Group 1B includes essential workers and people in high-risk categories.