KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Members of a federal COVID-19 surge response team have started to arrive in Missouri.
The first person landed in Springfield on Tuesday, according to Lisa Cox, a Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services spokesperson.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with them and learning more about how the Delta variant is impacting Missouri, specifically southwest Missouri initially,” Cox told 41 Action News via email. “More team members will be added, both remotely and in person, to assist with data and research, vaccine uptake strategies and outreach.”
White House Vaccinations Coordinator Dr. Bechara Choucair said in a statement provided by a regional communications director for the White House that the response teams will support states on "many fronts, testing, therapeutics, federal personnel where needed, and technical assistance offered by the CDC to help with epidemiology, data analysis, field investigations and other public health response work."
Springfield health officials have reported increases in COVID-19 cases, citing the delta variant as a root cause.
Mercy Hospital Springfield leaders announced Wednesday that employees would be required to be vaccinated following ventilator shortages.
