The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced that more than three million Missourians have completed their COVID-19 vaccine series. Missouri reaches this milestone upon the conclusion of the COVID-19 vaccine incentive program, MO VIP, that Governor Mike Parson announced on July 21. 

According to a news release, in total, more than 66,500 adults and minors were vaccinated and entered to win upon the launch of MO VIP. Although the full impact and positive residual effects of the program are immeasurable, nearly 480,000 Missourians initiated vaccination since July 21 when the MO VIP campaign began.

Federal and state data show that 58 percent of Missouri’s eligible population (age 12 and up) has completed vaccination, while 66 percent have initiated vaccination by receiving a first dose.

Additionally, approximately 68 percent of Missourians 18 and older have initiated vaccination, and over 88 percent of Missourians 65 and older, have received at least one dose.

Officials say during the summer months, Missouri was the first state to experience an outbreak of the Delta Variant, and most other states have now experienced significant outbreaks of the highly transmissible variant. Since the summer peak, Missouri has continued to experience an overall decline in cases, deaths, and hospitalizations related to this virus.

Daily cases are half of what they were one month ago, and Missouri’s positivity rate has decreased to 6.8 percent. Outbreaks within Missouri long-term care facilities are also lessening. Currently, 139 homes have active COVID-19 cases, down from 229 one month ago.