KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Thursday that a COVID-19 vaccine in the state is "progressing rapidly."
According to Parson, who was elected to his first full term as governor on Tuesday, multiple vaccines are in production and being tested in large-scale "phase three" trials at the Pfizer facility in Chesterfield, Missouri.
"Protocols for safety and effectiveness are being aligned, which allows the trial to proceed more quickly without sacrificing safety," Parson said.
In October, the state released its vaccination plan for the virus before sending it to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At the time, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Director Dr. Randall Williams said he hoped the state would have a phase one vaccination by late November or December.
However, the vaccination would not be available to the general public until April 2021, according to Williams.
"The vaccine is currently expected to be the first available vaccine," Parson said.
On Wednesday, the state surpassed 200,000 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
