Mike Parson

Smith has represented Missouri's bootheel 2013 and is a staunch Trump supporter.

Recent changes have caused drastic swings in the vaccination rates on Missouri's COVID-19 dashboard.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Thursday that nearly 2 million Missourians will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by April 9, when every adult in the state qualifies. Parson said the first 900,000 will include homeless people, construction workers and those who work in higher education, all of whom become eligible for the vaccine on March 29.

It's been one year since COVID-19 dramatically affected how we live. The latest episode of Politically Speaking breaks down how the disease changed Missouri and Illinois politics.

At mass vaccination events in rural areas last week, hundreds of doses went unused and some were wasted.

In total, nearly 150 areas across the state’s government agencies saw a reduction in their budgets, but with Monday's announcement, all funding is restored.

There were not enough votes to tack on an emergency clause that would have allowed the legislation to go into effect immediately.

Vaccine doses have been so scarce near St. Louis that many area residents desperate for a shot have started traveling to rural parts of the state to find one.

In some rural counties, health agencies mistakenly doled out vaccines that were intended to be booster shots

Dr. Alex Garza said earlier this week that the region is receiving less than half of the vaccine allotment it should be based on population.