JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Just days after Missouri was included in a COVID-19 hotspot advisory, Gov. Mike Parson plans to send additional help to strained hospitals, and will announce efforts to bring outside health care resources to the state. Parson plans to reveal more about those resources Wednesday during a 3 p.m., news conference, which FOX4 will live stream.
Many hospitals in the Kansas City metro say they are near the levels they saw at the height of 2020. Both doctors and health officials are concerned because cases are increasing, and the majority of the patients they are seeing are unvaccinated.
The additional help is expected to be announced less than a week after the state tripled the number of mutual aid ambulances. Last week, Parson said 30 ambulances and more than 60 trained personnel would arrive in Missouri and four other states. They are transferring long-haul COVID-19 patients to other hospitals in an effort to reduce the number of COVID patients.
The 30 teams include 20 advanced life-support ambulances, five basic life-support ambulances, and five specialty care ambulances. The ambulances strike teams are expected to operate in the area through Sept. 5, 2021.
Gov. Parson said he would also provide an update on Missouri’s Vaccine Incentive Program Wednesday afternoon.
The state will draw its first round of $10,000 winners from a pool of vaccinated residents Friday. More than 375,000 people have entered the drawing for a chance to win $10,000.
Each of the five drawings will generate 180 winners, for a total of 900 winners. The state said 800 winners will be adults and will receive a cash prize of $10,000. There will also be 100 adolescents, aged 12 to 17, who will win a $10,000 education savings account through the Missouri State Treasurer’s MOST 529 program.
You only need to enter one time to be eligible for all five drawings.
