COVID-19 Vaccines Available for
Missouri Adults
Register for yours today!
HCC is offering COVID-19 vaccines to anyone 18 years of age and older in Missouri who wants one. Vaccines are safe, effective, and allow you to ease up on safety guidelines when around other fully vaccinated people. Protect yourself and your loved ones and register for your vaccine today!
COVID-19 VACCINES: What You Need to Know
  • Millions of people have received a COVID-19 vaccine
  • Vaccines are safe and effective
  • These vaccines cannot give you COVID-19
  • Side effects may occur and are normal
  • The vaccine is free of charge, regardless of immigration or health insurance status
  • The CDC will continue to provide updates on vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 variants
Save the Date!
Energy Assistance Program Changes to Help More Missourians Pay Energy Bills
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help you in two ways: Energy Assistance/Regular Heating (EA) and Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP).

Energy Assistance (EA) helps you with a one-time payment for your primary heating bills from November through May.

The Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) helps pay your fuel bill when your energy is shut off or is threatened to be shut off, even if you have not received a shut-off notice. The amount of help you receive is based on the amount of money needed to settle your crisis with the energy provider.
 
The ECIP is available during the following months:
  • Winter ECIP is available November through May based on funding; the maximum amount you could receive is $800
  • Summer ECIP is available June through October based on funding; the maximum amount you could receive is $600
COVID-19 News and Updates
Racial and ethnic minorities in rural areas have greater risk for COVID-19 deaths. Rural areas often have higher percentages of blue collar and farm jobs people can't safely complete from home, likely contributing to the higher percentages of COVID-19 exposure, infection, and fatality. Learn more.

Senior vaccinations trail in rural areas compared to their urban counterparts. Though most vaccination demographics have remained fairly even, senior vaccinations in Missouri and Kansas have widened the gap. Learn more.
Though rural America bore the weight of the pandemic early on, relief for rural hospitals and providers paled in comparison to what their urban counterparts received. The National Rural Health Association believes more relief is still needed. Learn more.
REMINDER: ACA Special Enrollment Period Runs Through August 15
You can enroll in Marketplace health coverage from February 15 through August 15 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency.

You may also still be able to enroll for 2021 any time these two ways: with a Special Enrollment Period or through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
April is Alcohol Awareness Month
Alcohol Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), is observed every April to support those struggling with alcohol addiction and educate others. According to the NCADD, over 15 million American adults battle Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), and nearly 90,000 people die annually from alcohol-related deaths.

Additionally, many young people start drinking before the age of 15. A quarter of teens ages 14–15 said they have tried alcohol at some time in their lives, and the proportion increases to 44 percent for teens ages 16–17. Alcohol use is associated with a greater likelihood of using other substances, including marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs.

Learn more about talking to your children about alcohol abuse and prevention, and start the conversation about underage drinking.
CDC and FDA Recommended Pause of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Lifted
After a temporary pause, CDC and FDA recommend use of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen COVID-19 vaccine resume in the United States. A review of all available data at this time shows that the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine's known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks.

However, women under 50 years old should be aware of the rare but increased risk of the adverse event, blood clots with low platelets, called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). On April 13, 2021, use of the Janssen vaccine was paused out of an abundance of caution to review a small number of U.S. reports of this complication.

CDC and FDA will continue to monitor the safety of all COVID-19 vaccines.
I already received the Janssen vaccine. Should I be worried?

For three weeks after receiving the vaccine, watch for possible symptoms of a blood clot with low platelets including:
  • Severe or persistent headaches or blurred vision
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Leg swelling
  • Persistent abdominal pain
  • Easy bruising or tiny blood spots under the skin beyond the injection site

Seek medical care immediately if you develop one or more of these symptoms.

What was the purpose of the pause?
The pause allowed CDC to communicate with healthcare providers and re-emphasize the importance of reporting severe events in people who have received this vaccine, as well as how to report such events. The pause also gave experts time to carefully review all available data and conduct a risk-benefit analysis around the use of this vaccine.

Is this a concern for the other COVID-19 vaccines?
No. As of April 23, 2021, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS)—blood clots with low platelets—has not been linked to the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines after more than 210 million doses administered.