The Warren, St. Charles, and Lincoln county health departments are partnering with the Missouri National Guard and GM Wentzville Assembly to host a free vaccination event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, May 7 at the GM Wentzville Assembly Plant, 1500 Highway A in Wentzville. All participants should enter through Gate 2.

The drive-through operation will be the first mass vaccination event operated in western St. Charles County and will provide the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to those ages 16 and older who schedule an appointment.

Missouri residents interested in obtaining this vaccination should complete registration through the Missouri Vaccine Navigator website: https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator/. After completing the registration, individuals should look for the vaccination event entitled “94733: [ADA] 5/7_Wentzville GM Plant SCCDPH Drive Thru Vaccination Event_Primary Pfizer-94733 Region C” to choose a convenient time to schedule their appointment. Those without internet access should call 877-435-8411 to schedule an appointment.

Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine, both injected in the arm, are necessary for maximum protection against the virus. For those who attend the May 7 vaccination event, a second dose will be provided at the GM Wentzville Assembly Plant on June 4. These COVID-19 vaccinations are provided at no charge to recipients through the federal government.

Vaccination is an important tool to prevent COVID-19 illness. It takes about two weeks for the body to build immune protection after vaccination, and a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks following the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that fully vaccinated individuals can visit other fully vaccinated individuals in private settings without a mask or social distancing, do not need to be tested or quarantine if exposed to someone who has COVID-19 unless they experience symptoms, and can travel domestically without quarantining after travel. In public settings, vaccinated individuals should continue precautionary recommendations to further prevent the spread of illness and should avoid large gatherings.

For additional information on efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in this region, visit sccmo.org/COVID, https://www.warrencountyhealth.com, and https://www.lchdmo.org.