Joplin city officials find themselves in a familiar circumstance COVID-19 vaccine supply not meeting resident demand. 7th District Congressman Billy Long visited Joplin’s Freeman Hospital on Tuesday; he didn’t have any concrete answers on when adequate amounts of the vaccines would be available in Southwest Missouri; he did, though, play the blame game. “We were sold a bill of goods in Congress; we were told by the administration that we’re going to have the vaccine manufacturers, we want them to manufacturer the vaccine, whether it works or not we want it on the shelf. Once it’s approved, we can get it in the arms immediately, which everybody wanted. If it’s not approved, we’re going to go ahead and pay the companies for their failed vaccines.” Congressman Long also did his best to distance Missouri Governor Mike Parson from any responsibility for the slow and uneven rollout of the COVID vaccine, only briefly speaking about the state’s response. On Tuesday, Joplin said they would immunize 100 residents this week. The pandemic has claimed nearly 7,100 Missouri lives.