In 2015, voters approved a six-year, $415 million bond package. As of May 5, $32.5 million of those bond funds have not been released yet and 13 construction projects are still outstanding, including interior renovations at four campuses and roof work at three more.
Correction: This story original incorrectly described Tulsa Public Schools as the only district still in distance learning. The story has been corrected.
The disagreement between Gov. Kevin Stitt and Tulsa Public Schools over when the district should resume in-person instruction has extended to discussions on where educators should fall on the vaccine priority list.
Citing a desire to get students and teachers back in the classroom safely, TPS Superintendent Deborah Gist, Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association President Shawna Mott-Wright and Nancy Leonard, president of the local chapter of the American Federation of Teachers issued a joint statement Thursday afternoon calling for school employees to be moved up on the state’s vaccine priority list.
TPS is currently scheduled to remain in distance learning through March 22.
“While we are grateful and enthusiastic to partner with the Tulsa Health Department to offer Covid-19 vaccinations to our team members … ages 65 and older, we need all of our team members in public education to be vaccinated as soon as possible, particularly those at higher risk,” the statement reads in part.
“All across the country, states have prioritized teachers and other school team members for the Covid-19 vaccine. We simply believe Oklahoma should do the same, which is why we continue to advocate for teachers and our team to be a higher priority in our state. No one wants our students back to school in person more than our teachers, our team, our board our students and our parents here in Tulsa.”
Along with remarks to that effect at several school board meetings, Gist has made similar requests of both Stitt and the Oklahoma State Health Department via Twitter as recently as Wednesday.
Here is some news I would like to see today: @GovStitt prioritizes schools for vaccines. We have a clinic going now for 65+only. Do I have your approval to vaccinate other team members ? Priority for those with health risks & working with students with special needs. Yes? https://t.co/TSX841YlRY
— Deborah Gist (@deborahgist) January 27, 2021
As per the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s vaccine registration portal, priority groups that are currently eligible to receive a dose through the state include health care workers, first responders and Oklahomans age 65 and older.
As of Monday night, the district had vaccinated almost 300 employees aged 65 and older through a partnership with the Tulsa Health Department. However, as per the district’s website, it has more than 5,900 employees.
At Monday night’s school board meeting, Gist noted that there are additional groups of employees younger than age 65 that the district would like to be able to prioritize for vaccinations but are simply unable to. Among the groups specifically singled out both during the school board meeting and in Thursday’s joint statement for priority consideration are the 266 teachers and 316 paraprofessionals who work with the district’s special education students.
Across the country, states are prioritizing school team members for vaccinations & advocating for vaccinations to get our students SAFELY in schools. It is not too late for OK! @GovStitt, we started vaccinating our 65+ educators today. Will you support vaccines for ALL our teams? https://t.co/ucSHN8eXwO
— Deborah Gist (@deborahgist) January 13, 2021
Most TPS students have been in distance learning since March. However, some of its special education students were able to have in-person instruction in the fall before a November surge in Covid-19 cases prompted the district move all students to distance learning, including its special education classes.
“It is important for people to understand that Oklahoma has not prioritized educators the way that many states have done,” Gist said Monday night. “It’s a challenge for us because we can’t prioritize some members of our team that we would have if we could, including our teachers and support staff who work with our special education students. They have the greatest needs and many of them can not consistently wear masks.”
Thursday’s joint statement comes as TPS continues to face criticism from Stitt for its decision to remain in distance learning. Oklahoma City Public Schools has started bringing students on campus using a hybrid schedule, leaving TPS as Oklahoma’s largest independent brick-and-mortar school district still in distance learning.
Along with singling out the district in November, December and January news conferences, Stitt has taken his objections to Twitter as recently as Tuesday.
“It has been 319 days since a high school student in Tulsa Public Schools has had the option to be in a classroom,” Stitt tweeted. “This is not okay. I applaud the parents, teachers and school board members who are insisting we put our students first.”
The number referenced in the governor’s tweet includes weekends, federal holidays and other days that classes would not normally be in session since the district made the switch to distance learning in March.
Stitt’s criticism also extended to Thursday’s statement requesting expedited vaccine access for school employees.
“For over 300 days, the governor and parents have been wondering what is motivating Tulsa’s superintendent, now the only district in the state refusing to offer in-person learning, and today she has revealed what those motives were: she puts teachers unions first, not students,” he said via a spokesman.
TPS declined to respond to the governor’s comments Thursday evening.
Featured video:
Gov. Kevin Stitt specifically mentions Tulsa Public Schools in press conferences in November, December and January.
More guidance for Oklahomans signing up through the state COVID-19 vaccine portal during Phase 2
Q&A: State vaccination portal help and other guidance as Oklahoma enters Phase 4
Who is eligible currently?
As of March 29, all Oklahomans 16 and older will be vaccine-eligible.
What determines how many appointments are available?
The state is reliant on COVID-19 vaccines supplied by the federal government; officials reportedly are notified of shipments one week at a time. The limited supplies make it logistically impossible to schedule vaccinations weeks in advance. Oklahoma officials hope for a policy change that resupplies be based on states' “burn rate,” of how many shipped doses are distributed promptly.
States and tribal leaders are receiving federal shipments of vaccines based on population, OSDH leaders have said. Oklahomans with a CDIB card would go to a tribal health care center for vaccines.
I signed up at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov but never got an email confirmation of any kind — what should I do?
Confirmation emails are sent out in batches; users should receive one within 24-48 business hours of registering. “Emails are sent out over a span of time in the order in which registrations occurred,” the state said. “As a result, some emails may be delayed.” If you've waited at least 48 hours without having gotten a response, it could mean a data-entry error was made by the user during registration.
State and county health officials also have said most of these issues are resolved when the user checks their junk mail folder for messages flagged as spam.
I’ve been told I can make an appointment, but I went to the portal and there were none available within 100 miles — what do I do now?
First, if the portal has a link that says "No appointments available," click anyway. Possible glitches in the system might result in that message showing up even when appointments might be open outside the user's immediate area.
If you're still coming up empty, bookmark and keep checking the “Click here” link emailed to you, says deputy OSDH commissioner Keith Reed. The link does not expire and is the only method to check for appointment availability. No further emails will be sent.
When will new appointments be added to the online portal as the state is updated on the supply of vaccines expected to ship from the federal government?
A new round of scheduling should be available on the portal every Thursday. Starting 5 p.m. Wednesday through Thursday morning, new appointments are uploaded for distribution pods, said Mindy Spohn, OSDH vaccine facilitator.
Tulsa Health Department did not add appointments Feb. 10-11 for the coming week due to inclement weather.
Someone I know is unable to go online to access the vaccination portal — how can they make sure to get an appointment?
The state recommends that those unable to access the online portal ask a family member or friend with internet capabilities to assist them with the registration process.
Some churches have stepped up to help people without internet access register on the portal, as well as those who need a foreign-language interpreter. State officials have said a Spanish translation is forthcoming for the online vaccine portal.
How are 211 and LIFE Senior Services trying to help?
Call center staff at 211 can help Oklahomans connect to resources they may need to physically access the vaccine distribution sites, but they cannot schedule appointments. OSDH helped add to 211 staff, who can collect patients' contact info to pass on to local health departments for phone scheduling.
LIFE Senior Services is helping callers get scheduled by signing them up on the portal and receiving emails for the patient. Pictured: LIFE Senior Services activities director Amberly Villegas and Geneva Boling.
Who else is trying to help people book appointments?
Josh Wright, software developer from Norman, developed a text-alert system for Oklahomans as a companion site for the state's COVID-19 vaccine portal.
The vaccine-alerts.com site has 41,000 users, who have received 1.25 million text alerts, as of Feb. 5.
Can I show up at a vaccination site without an appointment to wait for someone to miss their scheduled time?
No, Tulsa Health Department and other sites say those without appointments are not welcome at known vaccination sites. THD says if someone does miss their appointment, those shots may be offered to first-responders in the area who have not been able to get vaccinated yet.
What happens if I am unable to make my scheduled appointment? Can it be changed?
Asking that residents strive to keep their bookings as time slots are in high demand, the state has said that those who miss their scheduled time will need to make a new appointment. Cancellations or scheduling changes can be made through the portal. “There’s been some difficulty with that,” Spohn said. “Sometimes you have to wait 24 hours to be able to get back in and redirect your appointment because it locks up. … That’s among fixes we’re working on on our end.”
At what point do I schedule my second dose or "booster shot"?
The answer seems to change depending on which site a patient received their first dose.
Second-dose appointments may be scheduled at the time of the first shot. It is not required to schedule booster doses through the portal. “Follow the instructions given when you got your first shot,” OSDH Deputy Commissioner Keith Reed said.
Second-dose appointments may also be made via the state portal, and users will be asked whether they need the Pfizer or Moderna shot. Some clinics have had scheduling issues for second doses, Spohn said, so officials are working to ensure those sites aren’t filling up with only first-dose appointments.
Tulsa Health Department says: “You are able to walk in for your second dose without an appt, provided you come at the same time as your first dose. Must bring your vaccination card with you.” Director Bruce Dart said those who got a Pfizer vaccine through Tulsa Health Department should try to come back to the same site 21 days after the prime dose; those who got Moderna should walk back into the same site 28 days after.
In Wagoner County, second-dose appointments cannot be made until one week before the patient is due for the booster shot.
I can't get an appointment for my booster dose when I am supposed to — is it OK to take it any later?
Those concerned about getting appointments exactly 21 or 28 days after their first dose don’t need to worry; if you’re a little late, it doesn’t cause you to have to restart the shots. You may just take a few more days to reach 95% immunity.
The state says it may take longer for second-dose appointments to show up in the system as those cannot be entered into the system weeks in advance. Because the timing of booster doses means a three- or four-week delay, those scheduling their booster dose via the online portal are told not expect to set the schedule right after the prime dose.
Can I choose whether I receive a Moderna or Pfizer shot?
Some clinics have both Pfizer and Moderna available, but basically it’s whatever is available at the time of the appointment at the site.
Will I be able to drive-through to get my vaccination or will I have to go inside a facility?
Mindy Spohn said the state is trying at each location to help patients with accessibility issues to be able to drive-through. “The problem with drive-throughs … it does limit our throughput because you have a 15-minute observation period.” She said some sites may have found ways to offer drive-through with observation, "but their ability to reach large numbers is limited because of that."
If I have already had COVID-19, do I still need to consider getting the vaccine?
The short answer is yes. Dr. Jennifer Clark, who leads Project ECHO’s COVID-19 data sessions, said the human body’s natural immunity isn’t fully reliable and can be erratic. She said the response a person’s body will have from the vaccine will be more reliable and robust relative to the body’s natural immune response. Monks recommends waiting 90 days after recovering, especially if those who received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma.
Do I still need to practice the three W’s after getting my vaccination?
Yes, it is vital for Oklahomans to continue to wear masks, wash their hands and watch their distance even after being vaccinated. The vaccine effectively protects recipients, but recipients may still be able to spread the virus to others. The CDC has not yet determined if or when it will stop recommending that people wear masks and avoid close contact with others to help prevent community spread.
Can you be a carrier of the virus after receiving a vaccination?
"We have to assume the answer is yes, you can. In other infectious diseases, this happens pretty commonly, though in others it does not. It won’t be known for another few months as we’ve gotten lots of people vaccinated and then tested with viral swabs," Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation President Dr. Stephen Prescott said.
Why do I have to wait 15 minutes before being able to leave after my vaccination, and what side effects are common?
Any adverse reaction that could endanger the patient's health should be evident within 15 minutes, so those receiving the vaccine must agree to observation during that time. Dr. George Monks, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, said possible side effects include mild pain or swelling at the injection site, true of any medicine injected into skin. Other possible side effects include mild fever, chills, tiredness and headache. Monks said side effects are almost always mild and are more common in younger people or when receiving the boost dose. Monks said one can think of the symptoms as a sign that the vaccine is working.
How many vaccine doses have gone to waste in Oklahoma?
State officials say there is no problem with expiring vaccines; doses arriving each week are already scheduled to be distributed the following week. “We don’t have any vaccine that’s sitting on the shelf,” says deputy OSDH commissioner Keith Reed. On Feb. 9, he said only 247 cumulative doses had been wasted due to broken or leading needles and vials.
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