“To ensure our priority populations are the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, predetermined sites have been identified around the state that will receive the initial vaccine shipments,” Reed said. “These sites were selected based on strategic location, ability to meet storage and handling requirements,” including the ultra-cold storage required for the Pfizer vaccine.
The doses will then be redistributed to select primary care health systems and health departments to reach key populations, Reed said.
“Please keep in mind a magnitude of this effort will not happen overnight,” Reed said.
Officials will assure all Oklahomans, particularly rural communities, are able to access the vaccine as it becomes available, Reed said.
The state anticipates a wide network of health care providers to administer the vaccine to the public, Reed said, adding that it is not depending on the public health sector alone.
Frye said it could be the summer before things start getting back to normal.
“This virus is not going away,” he said.
The COVID-19 virus may mutate and change like the flu and require tweaking of the vaccination, Frye said.
“There is no doubt this vaccine will change the way we are doing things now and will make things a lot better,” he said.
