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State Says More Than Half Of Oklahoma Seniors Have Received At Least One Vaccine Dose

Gov. Kevin Stitt
Frances Watland receives the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Oklahoma City on Dec. 22.

More than half of Oklahomans ages 65 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the state health department.

Deputy Health Commissioner Keith Reed said at a virtual press briefing on Thursday that 53% of that age group had received at least one shot.

More than a quarter million Oklahomans in total have received the full series, Reed said.

Between the state, tribes, Indian Health Service and the federal Veterans Administration, more than 935,000 doses have been given in Oklahoma, Reed said.

"We are approaching one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered in Oklahoma," Reed said. "This is an extraordinary milestone for our state, and shows great progress toward vaccinating all of our eligible citizens."

Reed said federal allocations of Moderna and Pfizer vaccine doses to the state are steadily increasing, and, if approved by the Food and Drug Administration, a Johnson & Johnson vaccine would provide even more doses.

"We are optimistic that it will increase our supply and help us open more access points to the vaccine," Reed said. "There is, of course, a long way to go until all Oklahomans who want the vaccine can receive it, but we moving in the right direction."

As of Wednesday afternoon, Oklahoma ranked 8th in the nation for doses administered per 100,000 residents according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Chris joined Public Radio Tulsa as a news anchor and reporter in April 2020. He’s a graduate of Hunter College and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, both at the City University of New York.
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