Recent News

For Immediate Release:
March 25, 2021

Media Contact:
Lisa Cox
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Lisa.Cox@health.mo.gov

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Missouri’s COVID-19 vaccination dashboard was updated this afternoon to reflect the current state of COVID-19 demographics among Missourians. 

When Missouri’s vaccination dashboard was initially created, the method used relied on national population demographic percentages which were attributed to Missouri and not taking into account the differences between Missouri’s demographic landscape and national averages. 

Going forward, Missouri-specific demographic information is being used as seen in the Census Bureau Population Estimates Program 2019 estimates. This will be consistent with the data used in the Show Me Strong Public Health Dashboard. As a result of this methodological shift, some demographic population groups greatly increased in the percent initiating vaccinations, including Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hispanic. These enhanced metrics more closely reflect the rates of vaccination for all demographic groups, however, actual rates may still be higher due to records with unknown demographic information.

In addition, further analysis of the 75-84 age group showed an increase in the number of Missourians who have initiated vaccination in this priority age group. This is reflected in today’s updated dashboard. 

The State continues to work with providers on the known technical issue of incoming multiracial data. Data regarding demographics of those vaccinated is retrieved by the Department of Health and Senior Services from ShowMeVax, Missouri’s vaccine registry. The hundreds of COVID-19 vaccinators throughout the state enter available patient information into the system. The data currently shows a higher than expected amount of individuals reported with more than one race. As this issue involves in depth analysis of the data of multiple different providers and preliminary analysis shows the cause is multifactorial, resolution is still in progress.  

“We are committed to constantly working to ascertain the populations who are choosing vaccination, especially as vaccine supply increases,” said Dr. Randall Williams, director of DHSS. “We greatly appreciate vaccinators’ diligence in providing us with this information.”

Data regarding overall vaccination numbers and vaccinations by county of residence are not impacted by today’s updates. 

View the COVID-19 vaccination dashboard at MOStopsCovid.com/data.