OSDH Vaccine Scheduler Portal update for 22 January 2021

The Vaccine Scheduler Portal is operational to allow eligible Oklahomans to schedule their COVID-19 vaccination. OSDH will provide a daily, end-of-day update on progress throughout the week of Jan. 18.

OSDH will host a media briefing with Deputy Commissioner Keith Reed and State Epidemiologist Dr. Jared Taylor tomorrow, January 22 at 1:30 p.m. via Zoom to answer any questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, Oklahoma’s distribution plan and the Vaccine Scheduler Portal.

Updates as of 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21: 

• 542,610 Oklahomans have registered through the portal to receive notifications on eligibility.
  • Phase 1: 15,846
  • Phase 2 (currently eligible groups): 307,852
  • 86,949 appointments have been scheduled by Oklahomans eligible to receive the vaccine
    • More appointments will continue to be added throughout the week, so OSDH recommends that people continue checking the system on an ongoing basis.
  • COVID-19 case numbers in Oklahoma have been significantly lower this week, which prompted OSDH to investigate their validity as well as our reporting systems out of an abundance of caution.
    • After checking with staff and comparing different sources of information, OSDH can report the data is accurate and case counts have decreased significantly this week.
    • In addition, hospitalizations statewide are trending down.
    • Although cases and hospitalizations are trending down as the vaccine is being distributed, Oklahomans should remain vigilant in protecting themselves and others by practicing the Three Ws: wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance.
  • Oklahomans can use the Vaccine Scheduler Portal to sign up for their second dose.
    • If you received specific instructions for scheduling your second dose at the provider where you received your first dose, you should follow those instructions.
    • If you didn’t receive specific instructions when you received your first dose, you may use the Vaccine Scheduler Portal to schedule your second dose appointment. As you go through the scheduling process, the system will prompt you to answer whether the appointment is for a first or second dose.
    • It is not required to schedule your second appointment through the portal. The portal is intended to be another option for Oklahomans to schedule their COVID-19 vaccine. We recognize there are many individual circumstances and that some may prefer to access the vaccine via a pandemic provider, local healthcare provider or another option.
    • It’s recommended that you should get your second dose after 21 days for Pfizer and 28 for Moderna. However, it can be longer if needed, as the timeline is flexible and you do not need to schedule your appointment exactly 21 or 28 days after.
  • Current priority groups that are eligible for vaccine appointments as part of Phase 2 of the vaccine plan:
    • Healthcare workers
      • Expanded healthcare worker group such as allied health fields and general outpatient health service (i.e. behavioral health, dentists)
    • First responders
    • Oklahomans aged 65+

What to expect when registering: 

• Successful registration within the portal does not guarantee an appointment. Registering only means you will be notified when you are eligible to schedule your appointment. 
• Email notifications: There are two main emails people will receive from this system.
  • 1) A registration confirmation email. This confirms that you are registered in the system and will be notified when you are eligible to receive the vaccine.
  • 2) A phase confirmation email with a link to set up an appointment. This email will be sent when you are eligible to receive the vaccine and an appointment is available in your area.
    • If you have already registered but didn’t receive an email yet, you can likely expect your confirmation email within 24-48 hours. 
  • It’s important that users answer each questionnaire question with “yes” as it applies to them. Do not skip over this part as these answers are what put you into the correct priority group. For example, if a person is age 65 or older, they must choose “yes” to indicate they belong in this phase group.
  • Unfortunately, the portal does not currently allow a user to change responses after the form has been submitted. In the case that incorrect responses are submitted, a new email account must be used to create a new registration.
  • If a user has to abandon a registration session, be advised that they will need to wait 24 hours for the system to reset before being able to use the same email address again.
  • You can use the same email to register multiple people on the portal as long as the names and dates of birth are different.  This can be done to help register parents, children, etc.
  • Due to the large volume of individuals visiting the portal, and the resulting volume of email notifications to be sent, the system is issuing emails on a batch basis. Emails are sent out over a span of time in the order in which registrations occurred. As a result, some emails may be delayed. Emails should be received within 24 hours during these peak volume times.

Reminders:

• Appointment availability is dependent upon vaccine supply. New appointments are added as vaccine supply allows. Additionally, please be patient with the scheduler portal as we work to ensure all available appointments are properly added throughout the day.
• You must register at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov to receive email notifications regarding vaccine appointment availability.
• If Oklahomans are a part of a priority group and phase eligible to receive the vaccine, but are not able to schedule an appointment, there will be additional opportunities to do so next Thursday. Those residents will be notified of their ability to schedule appointments via email.