MEXICO, Mo. – When it comes to vaccinations, Governor Mike Parson says Missouri is ahead of schedule.
The governor made a stop at the Hart Career Center in Mexico on Wednesday to talk with students and instructors about the importance of workforce development.
“Whether it’s in the health care industry and what they are studying, it’s just remarkable of where we want to, to the days of technology and preparing these kids for the workforce,” Parson said. “We’ve seen what we were doing in workforce development and infrastructure and how much of a priority we made them prior to the pandemic but it’s the reason why our state continues to be in the top ten in the nation on economic recovery.”
Parson told students the demand for jobs is there.
“It’s going to make the difference in one of these kids’ lives that we will never ever get to see or meet probably, but it’s going to change them,” he said.
In an interview after his tour, Parson praised Missouri’s workforce development.
“It all starts in these classrooms,” Parson said. “That’s why I think early childhood development is so important, but giving these high school kids a taste of what the real world is.”
During the interview, also praised about the state’s vaccination plan.
“We’re ahead of schedule here in Missouri, so I think things are going really well,” Parson said. “We’re starting to get more and more vaccine in every week.”
Last week, President Joe Biden said his plan is for all Americans to be eligible for a vaccine by May 1. Manley asked the governor if that’s possible in Missouri.
“If the federal government and if the president follows through to make sure that vaccine comes to the states, yes, I think we will be well down the road by May 1 in our state,” Parson said. “Matter of fact, I think we’re going to be ahead of that schedule.”
Parson said one of his focuses now are getting resources to the big cities.
“We knew in the rural areas we wouldn’t be there near as long with the vaccine as we will be in the big urban areas, but right now, St. Louis and Kansas City are probably our two next places that we have to put a little more emphasis on just because of the sheer amount of population,” Parson said.
The governor said that in the next 30 days, he expects the state to vaccinate 300,000 Missourians in a week. That’s more than a million people in a month. Overall, Parson expects 60% of Missourians to get a vaccine.
“It’s all a part of the plan that we had,” Parson said. “The good news is that we are ahead of schedule on the plan. Right now, I feel very comfortable about where we are in Missouri.”
Later this week, Kansas City will host its first mega vaccination site at Arrowhead Stadium. Next week, St. Louis will hold its first at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park. Both events will allow 6,000 Missourians to be vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Parson said with more National Guard bringing resources into the St. Louis area, there will be a week soon where 14,000 people are vaccinated in Region C.
