Virus vaccine shipment change frustrates Oklahoma official

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s deputy health commissioner says that a change in the distribution of the coronavirus vaccines came unexpectedly and left him frustrated.

Keith Reed said on Friday that he learned a day earlier that the shipments of second doses of the vaccine will not be separate. Reed said although the doses are identical medically, they were previously being sent as a first dose, then a second dose.

Reed said the health department now must manage the inventory to make sure everyone who receives the first dose also receives the second dose in a timely fashion, rather than receiving a clearly labeled second dose for those who have received the first inoculation.

Some scientists have warned that if too many people receive only the first dose, but not the second, then the risk of the virus becoming vaccine-resistant could potentially increase.