The Tulsa Health Department announced Wednesday that individuals seeking to be vaccinated against COVID-19 now have three additional locations to choose from.
The department's James O. Goodwin Health Center, Central Regional Health Center and North Regional Health and Wellness Center are all now taking appointments via the state's vaccinate.oklahoma.gov portal, with vaccinations beginning there on Monday.
"Last night at about 5 o'clock, we posted 2,567 appointments at these expanded locations," said Alicia Etgen, THD emergency preparedness and response manager, at a virtual press briefing Thursday morning. "And as of 8:45 this morning, there are about only 900 left. So overnight we've filled the majority of those, and we continue to see people seeking out appointments today."
THD said they had so far administered at least 91,504 vaccine doses since they began giving shots.
The expansion comes as more doctors' offices, clinics, pharmacies and other health care facilities are offering the shot, as well.
"The current number of COVID-enrolled pandemic providers, meaning the number of entities in Tulsa County who are allowed to order and administer vaccine, is 330," Etgen said.
"And the more the better," said THD executive director Dr. Bruce Dart.
Where supply is available, the department says, individuals will be able to choose between the one-dose Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine and the two-dose Moderna and Pfizer vaccines when booking appointments. Public health experts and officials say all three are safe and highly effective at preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19.
Individuals who received their first dose of the vaccine from THD at Expo Square should return there for their scheduled second dose, but the department said Wednesday that location is scheduled to shut down on April 21st.
