MISSOULA — A COVID-19 vaccination clinic planned for this weekend at the University of Montana filled up quickly on Wednesday.
The clinic -- which is for people who qualify for Phase 1A and priority recipients in Phase 1B of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan -- is taking place on Sunday morning at the Adams Center.
Approximately 400 first-dose vaccine appointments were available but filled up in approximately one hour. This is the first public vaccine clinic in the county and is intended for residents who do not have regular healthcare providers.
Residents with regular providers should click here to visit the Missoula County Vaccine Information page or call (406) 258-INFO for updates on how their provider plans to administer vaccines. Residents can help providers by refraining from calling them directly and using the website instead.
Staff and students with UM’s Health Services Pharmacy, operated by the Skaggs School of Pharmacy, will administer vaccinations at Sunday's clinic.
The Health Services Pharmacy is one of 26 vaccine providers registered to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in Missoula County; however, the current limiting factor is the availability of vaccine.
Missoula City-County Health Department staff recently learned from state health administrators that the county can expect to receive approximately 1,500 first doses each week for the foreseeable future, based on the state’s entire allocation of approximately 13,000 first doses.
Missoula County will likely have nearly 40,000 people expecting to receive the vaccine in Phase 1B.
County officials note that the vaccine scarcity is not unique to Missoula County or to Montana; the shortage is nationwide. People are still being encouraged to where masks, practice social distancing, wash hands and keep social circles small.
The Missoula County COVID-19 Vaccine Coordination Team is managed by the Western Montana All Hazard Incident Management Team under the Office of Emergency Management.
The team formed last week at the request of the Missoula County commissioners and the mayor of Missoula to coordinate the distribution of vaccine in Missoula County.