State Vaccine doses surpass COVID-19 cases

Over 500,000 Oklahomans have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, far surpassing the 397,065 cases in the state since the start of pandemic

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) announced today that over 500,000 vaccines have been administered to Oklahomans. This includes over 100,000 Oklahomans who have completed the full vaccination series of both prime and boost doses.

As of Feb. 4, the state had reported a total of 397,065 COVID-19 cases since the virus was first reported in Oklahoma in March 2020.

“We’re proud to report this milestone of continued progress our state has made toward administering the COVID-19 vaccine, which has resulted in Oklahoma being among those leading the nation in COVID-19 vaccine distribution,” said State Commissioner of Health Dr. Lance Frye. “Our team has worked tirelessly to stay proactive in this effort, and we’re seeing positive results. Since the first dose was administered 53 days ago, we’ve administered over 500,000 vaccinations averaging almost 9,500 shots per day. Thanks to the help and cooperation with county health departments, hospitals, long-term care facilities, pharmacies, volunteers and many others, we’re taking strides together toward a healthier Oklahoma.”

The state has reported significant progress in administering the vaccine to phase 2 groups, including over 40% of the 65+ population. In addition, 12% of the state’s population over 16 years of age who are eligible to receive the vaccine have received their first dose.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done to stop the spread, but at this point we’ve vaccinated hundreds of thousands of our most vulnerable citizens. This will save lives,” said Keith Reid, Deputy Commissioner with OSDH. “The OSDH team is operating with the same rigor as we have since day one to deliver the vaccine to as many Oklahomans as possible in a safe and efficient way. We are excited to reach this significant milestone but want to remind Oklahomans as we wait for increased vaccine supply to keep practicing the three Ws: wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance. We need all the tools in our arsenal to stop this pandemic.”

In addition to another 5% increase in vaccine supply coming in the next week, Oklahoma has opted into the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, further expanding the state’s vaccination efforts starting next week. This program is a collaboration between the federal government, states and 21 national pharmacy partners and independent pharmacy networks to provide COVID-19 vaccines to eligible individuals. OSDH has been told to expect 11,300 doses next week distributed to 73 independent pharmacies across the state.

Vaccine Scheduler Portal Update

As of February 4, at 8 a.m. the State Department of Health reported that 681,904 Oklahomans have registered to receive the vaccine with 148,058 appointments being booked. Oklahoma is progressing through phase 2 of its vaccine plan, currently ranking 8th in the nation for total doses administered per capita.

More information on this pilot system and how to schedule your second dose can be found in the Vaccine Scheduler Portal FAQs:

https://oklahoma.gov/covid19/vaccine-information/vaccine-faqs.html