The state expects this week to receive 31,500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
An epidemiologist's modeling estimates that nearly half of Oklahomans have some level of immunity to COVID-19 through either infection or vaccination.
The CDC on Friday reported 1,006,064 total doses so far in Oklahoma, ranking the state No. 7 in the nation for doses administered per capita.
The state health commissioner calls for "working together" to improve health outcomes, though the Tulsa Health Department's executive director says recent history showed the state's reluctance to do just that.
The proposed bill also would add statutory language that neither the Tulsa Health Department nor the Oklahoma City-County Health Department could implement rules or regulations "more stringent than" the state's.
Ten thousand Oklahomans, including 3,500 school employees, arrived for vaccinations Monday at a major distribution event in Norman.
The state's online vaccine portal opened Sunday to members of the next priority group in Phase 2 of the state's vaccination plan to allow scheduling of appointments as soon as Monday.
“The weather has been a setback, but only a temporary one,” said Keith Reed, Keith Reed, deputy commissioner of the state health department. “We will make up ground rapidly and continue to get vaccine into arms of Oklahomans.”
Oklahomans of all ages with co-morbidities, about 1 million people, are included now along with the high-risk populations being vaccinated, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Thursday.
Oklahomans of all ages with co-morbidities, about 1 million people, are included now along with the high-risk populations being vaccinated, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Thursday.
Oklahomans of all ages with co-morbidities, about 1 million people, are included now along with the high-risk populations being vaccinated, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Thursday.
Oklahomans of all ages with co-morbidities, about 1 million people, are included now along with the high-risk populations being vaccinated, Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Thursday.
Those who had been scheduled to get a first or second dose today will receive an email to be rescheduled; Tulsa health officials say individuals don't need to go back to the state portal to book a new appointment.
State Health Department officials say they have been informed that the federal government is not supplying additional vaccines for the clinics.
Only 75 pharmacies will get the doses, including some Walmart sites. Nearly 13% of Oklahomans older than 16 have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination through the state or tribal health care centers.
'Our only hope': Free COVID-19 vaccines distributed at the Rose Bowl
The effort will renovate and reopen the Ben Hill Community Center in the Greenwood District.
The inequity is underscored by federal data acknowledging Black, Latino and American Indian adults get infected and ultimately die from COVID-19 at rates far exceeding their share of the population.
Distributions are paused to the pharmacies if the state finds gaps between administered doses and allocated doses. “We need to get those vaccines out of freezers and into arms," Deputy Health Commissioner Keith Reed said.
A state official said Wednesday that Tulsa County sites "were holding more of the second doses than we prefer." The change should help curb the number of Tulsans making long road trips for their first doses.
The temporary pause in vaccine allocations is intended to allow CVS Health and Walgreens to catch up on the doses already set aside for residents and staff in long-term care facilities.
Though current vaccine supply has not outpaced demand, state health officials are attempting to assist the Tulsa Health Department to secure available doses to area residents.
Phase 2 is open for health care providers, first responders and those 65 and older. Those with underlying health conditions younger than 65 are also in Phase 2, but Deputy OSDH Commissioner Keith Reed said older Oklahomans are already having issues signing up and the state doesn't want "an even bigger group competing with them to get appointments."
The state's COVID-19 vaccine coordinator feels as though the rug was pulled out from under him after he learned that the federal government does not have a stockpile of second vaccine doses waiting in reserve, he said Friday.
State officials have been told the first and second doses will now be shipped at the same time.
Oklahoma State Department of Health has offered COVID-19 vaccines to state legislators to help maintain the "continuity of government." Checking to see if vaccines are being offered to other, state and local officials.
