In collaboration with the St. Charles County Department of Public Health, Wentzville School District’s Holt High School has been designated as one of five “Points of Dispensing” (PODs) for the COVID-19 vaccine. Both doses of the vaccine will be given free of cost to all school employees within the St. Charles County, and will be dispensed on a day when school is not in session. The four other designated PODs are Francis Howell High School, Francis Howell North High School, Fort Zumwalt West High School and St. Charles West High School. 

“It’s been a long time coming and we’re excited about the fact that we’re going to be taking some very tangible steps moving forward,” said Wentzville School District Superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain, in a video to staff members. “We do not currently have a timeline for when the state will open Tier 3, and will likely receive short notice when it does, but we are developing the process for when that time comes.”

Distribution of the vaccine is part of Missouri’s “Stronger Together” Campaign; and K-12 staff receiving it is a part of Phase 1B (Tier 3): Critical Infrastructure. There is no current information on when Phase 1B (Tier 3) will open or if there will be enough vaccines for the PODs when they start to give vaccines. (The entire “Stronger Together” plan, pictured to the left, is a description of all Phases and the people included within them.)

In descending order, as each Phase’s population is majorly vaccinated, the next Phase’s population opens up for vaccination. Missouri is currently in Phase 1B (Tier 2): High-Risk Individuals, meaning those 65+ or with high-risk diseases. But according to the campaign’s website, Missouri health officials “have activated additional tiers, (since) there are currently not enough vaccines for everyone in them.” They are “activating the next tier(s) to ensure the greatest coverage as the supplies arrive and to allow vaccinations and organizations to plan for next phases.”

Missouri is the 18th largest state in the United States (population-wise) but ranks 49th in the country for vaccine distribution (The New York Times). This low rate can range from various logistical challenges and lack of resources. 

According to Liberty’s PLTW Biomedical teacher, Mrs. Strathman, learning about COVID-19 and how the vaccine works, is how we can best increase our efforts to combat the virus as a community.

“I think it’s important for people to get educated on how the vaccine works, so then there aren’t misconceptions about the vaccine… The better-educated people are, the more likely people are to become vaccinated, and the more quickly we can get through this pandemic,” Strathman explained. “To keep up with the rising COVID-19 cases, Missouri must see a rise in productivity where vaccine distribution is regarded.”

There are currently very few people at most schools who have received their vaccine, most of those including K-12 nurses. Liberty’s nurse, Bridget Thomason, received her second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 28, about four weeks after her first dose. School nurses received their vaccinations as a part of Phase 1B (Tier 1): First Responders & Emergency Personnel. According to Thomason, “not everybody can get it, so if the ones who can get it, get it, we can help keep the spread of the virus low.”

The Wentzville School District “certainly encourages staff to get the vaccination, but respects it as a personal choice.”

Mr. Stoll, a German teacher at Liberty, believes that it is imperative that all teachers register to get their vaccine immediately.

“If you like how things are right now, don’t get it. We could do this for another year or two, there’s nothing to say that you have to get it,” Stoll said. “But if you want to go back to how things were before, I would suggest doing it.”

WSD Staff Members: Please register here to get your COVID-19 Vaccine

Once staff members have registered with the SCCDPH, they will be contacted to then book an appointment at one of the PODs. According to SCCMO, “Whatever phase you are in, you can sign up now to be placed in a virtual queue. We urge you to also sign up through your health care provider’s hospital affiliation so that you can receive a vaccination in the timeliest manner. If you receive a vaccine from one provider, you can inform the other provider(s) that you have already received it.”

For questions about the COVID-19 vaccine or assistance with registering to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, please call the informational Hotline at 636-949-1899 (8 AM – 6 PM, Monday – Friday).