State officials originally planned to schedule vaccination appointments through an app from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but then hired Microsoft to build a new app after discovering that the CDC technology was not meeting Oklahoma’s needs. The launch of the app was also delayed by several days because vaccination locations had to be entered into the system.
Ensuring equal access to vaccines, even for those who are not tech-savvy or those who don’t have access to the Internet, is a challenge, Reed said. Those who are faster on the draw and can register online early are more likely to get the vaccine.
“It’s a legitimate concern,” he said. “It’s something we keep working on every day. Frankly, this whole process … is going to be a very difficult process, it is going to be a long process and there will be many challenges. “
Health Commissioner Dr. Lance Frye said he hopes Oklahoma will receive greater amounts of COVID-19 vaccines in the near future so that more people can be vaccinated.
By Jan. 1, Oklahoma had received 174,900 vaccine doses and administered 50,330 of those doses, according to state data. The remaining doses have already been assigned.
“We want to deliver this vaccine as soon as possible,” said Frye. ‘We’re going to try to make it available to everyone and we’ll keep working until we get there. Unfortunately, our offering is not as robust as we would like at the moment. “
Most Oklahoma residents who receive a COVID-19 vaccine through a regional health department will receive the Moderna vaccine. The Moderna vaccine consists of two doses administered 28 days apart.
Also included in Phase 2 of the state’s vaccination plan are adults of any age with serious underlying medical conditions, K-12 teachers and support staff, and staff and residents in compound locations such as prisons, prisons, and homeless shelters. Those groups are currently not eligible for COVID-19 vaccines.