Listen Live

Missouri Will Allow Nursing Homes to Close Temporarily Due to Vaccine Mandate

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is giving nursing homes a legal pathway to temporarily shut down if they face staffing shortages because of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

An emergency rule published Friday allows facilities to close for up to two years without the hassle of having to reapply for a license when they reopen. It covers facilities affected by a mandate from President Joe Biden’s administration that all health care workers be vaccinated.

Missouri’s nursing homes have some of the lowest percentages of vaccinated workers nationally. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has sued to try to block the federal vaccine mandate.

(From Ozarks First/Associated Press)

More from Local News

  • Storm Damage Reported Around Bull Shoals Lake

    Although the heaviest damage sustained in Tuesday's severe thunderstorms were in the Springfield area, there was some damage reported in the Lakes Region.

  • It’s a Three-Peat for Silver Dollar City

    OZARK MOUNTAINS, Mo. (April 30, 2025) — Silver Dollar City is celebrating a first-ever three-peat, as the internationally-awarded 1880s theme park won the top spot as America’s “Best Theme Park” for the third year in a row, according to readers of USA TODAY in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. The historic win follows four weeks of intense competition between twenty parks nationwide, including Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, LEGOLAND and Six Flags.

  • NARMC has Full Laboratory and Wants Blood Donations

    North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) has a full laboratory, according to ​Rachel Mullins, NARMC's director of laboratory services.

  • Alert: Scam Text Claims to be From Missouri Department of Revenue

    The Missouri Department of Revenue (MDR) took to Facebook to warn of a current scam.

  • Stormy Tuesday, Rainy Wednesday

    A line of severe thunderstorms roared through the Ozarks on Tuesday with the strongest storms hitting areas between Joplin and Springfield.