JEFFERSON CITY – Battling COVID-19 misinformation is a priority for Donald Kauerauf, Missouri’s new Department of Health and Senior Services director, he said Sept. 16. People need facts related to wearing masks and being vaccinated, he said. One way to battle misinformation, Kauerauf said, is to communicate accurate information to the public through the media. “The vaccine is doing exceedingly well in its prevention of serious illness among those that get vaccinated,” Kauerauf said. “Those are the stories that we need out there – the positives that this vaccine is working. … We can look at hospital records that those (who) are coming in for COVID – the vast, vast majority of those – are those who are not vaccinated.” Kauerauf addressed whether masks are effective and safe. “The CDC, the NIH and the Mayo Clinic are among leading health agencies that say wearing a mask helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” this newspaper told Kauerauf. “Yet (people) at an area meeting said…