JEFFERSON CITY — All state-run COVID-19 vaccination events in Missouri are canceled for the rest of this week because of "extreme winter weather," Gov. Mike Parson announced Monday.

The cancelations will not affect how much vaccine each region receives, Parson said. The Missouri Highway Patrol will house shipments in each of the state's nine regions and will help distribute them to community hospitals, which will administer them according to the state's tier program. Some shipments may be delayed, according to a Monday news release. 

This week's vaccine distribution, sponsored by Missouri National Guard and various state departments, will focus on at-risk citizens in St. Louis and Kansas City at locations that don't require residents to travel, such as senior apartment centers and retirement centers. 

Scheduled second doses of Pfizer vaccine at mass vaccination events are postponed, but the doses will remain in the region and will still be administered, Parson said.

“Missouri is experiencing severe winter weather that makes driving dangerous and threatens the health and safety of anyone exposed to the cold,” Parson said. “We want to protect the safety of everyone involved in the mass vaccination events, from the patients being vaccinated to the volunteers who generously support these events.”

Anyone who is registered for a vaccine this week is encouraged to contact their vaccinator to check on potential schedule changes. 

For more information, visit MOStopsCOVID.com.