JOPLIN, Mo. — Joplin city leaders expect the COVID-19 vaccine to be in town in the next couple of weeks.
With the Pfizer vaccine making its way to the state, Mayor Ryan Stanley and his staff are getting ready for distributing the vaccine to the Joplin community.
“I’m confident in the vaccine. I feel really encouraged that we’ve been able to throw our smart people with tons of resources into a problem.”
Mayor Stanley
Mayor Stanley says the vaccine will be making its way to Joplin within two weeks.
With news of the vaccine coming to Joplin, it has the Mayor feeling up-beat.
“I trust the FDA, I do feel like it is a vaccine that I would take tomorrow if they would allow me to take it.”
While the Mayor can’t make everyone take the vaccine, he says you should at least sit back and think what you can do to make the community more ‘COVID responsible’.
“I would encourage people to think hard about getting the vaccine and at the same time I’m not going to be shaming people for not taking it.”
The first doses will be given to hospital workers and high risk patients.
But we are weeks away from the general public being able to get their hands on a dose.
And the Mayor knows it is going to take time for things to go back to normal.
“I feel very good about COVID starting to wrap around the car and getting more into the rear view mirror. Probably not in January or February, but maybe by March.”
Until then, Mayor Stanley encourages people to wear a mask and practice social distancing.
