Patsy and Rick Matsin wait in line Jan. 18 to get COVID-19 vaccines through the Tulsa Health Department. Those who received their first-dose vaccines at a Tulsa County site have been instructed they can return to the same site at least three weeks later, for Pfizer prime doses, or four weeks later for Moderna, to get booster shots.
Update: 8,811 new first-dose appointments were added Wednesday night, according to Tulsa Health Department, compared to 5,480 appointments added last Wednesday night.
About 5,000 of those appointments were gone within about two hours, according to a server expert trying to work with the state on technical issues related to the portal. By about 1 a.m., all the appointments were gone, he said.
Starting Wednesday night, a higher than expected number of vaccination appointments were to be available in Tulsa County because doses that had been held in reserve for booster shots were released early.
The Tulsa Health Department announced the change in a news release Wednesday. Executive Director Bruce Dart said the state requested all counties “burn” through all doses of the vaccine weekly, though shipments had been differentiated between prime and boost doses.
“We are now pivoting to release half of the second-dose inventory on hand as prime doses to add additional appointments,” Dart said in the release. He noted the additional appointments would allow for more Tulsa County providers to be brought in to administer vaccines.
Those who received their first-dose vaccines at a Tulsa County site have been instructed they can return to the same site at least three weeks later, for Pfizer prime doses, or four weeks later for Moderna, to get booster shots.
“Our primary goal is to protect residents with the vaccine, and we know the completed series offers that full protection,” Dart said. The Tulsa Health Department’s release notes that officials have been assured of more shipments from the state to get everyone’s second dose covered.
Oklahoma Deputy Health Commissioner Keith Reed said Wednesday that Tulsa County sites “were holding more of the second doses than we prefer.” The procedural change to release half of the booster shots, about which he said his staff had been in communication with Dart, resolves the state’s concerns.
Reed said he had heard many Tulsa-area residents have had to look outside the area served by Tulsa Health Department for vaccinations, and “more appointments is obviously one of the best fixes.”
“We want to ... slow down this traveling that we’re seeing among the population,” he said.
About 30% of Oklahomans 65 or older have gotten at least one vaccination dose, including those in long-term care centers, Reed said Wednesday.
He said “that’s not enough right now” to consider opening up appointments to the next priority group: younger Oklahomans with comorbidities. Those individuals might be able to more quickly snap up appointments due to more comfort with the requirements of the online portal, Reed said.
“The use of technology to assist with scheduling is not necessarily the best match for this (65 and older) age group, and I feel like it would be very unfair to this group for us to too quickly bring on another group and bring on unfair competition for these appointments,” he said.
Last Wednesday night, Tulsa Health Department added 5,480 appointments to the state portal, according to Operations Section Chief Alicia Etgen. Spokeswoman Leanne Stephens said the number of booster doses to be released for first-dose appointments wasn’t available Wednesday.
“We encourage eligible Tulsa County residents to check the email link they have received (if they have registered and are eligible) in order to view those appointment opportunities,” Stephens said.
Dart reiterated the need for more supplies to expand efforts, including getting vaccines shipped to more of the 253 pandemic providers who have signed up to administer vaccinations in Tulsa County.
“We ask everyone to continue to be patient and diligent until supplies are larger,” Dart said in a statement, adding the state “has been very good at getting us our weekly vaccine allotment on time to match our appointments we have in the portal.”
According to Reed, there should be an increased need for booster-dose appointments starting next week, which marks the four-week “anniversary” of the state’s initial push to get elderly Oklahomans vaccinated.
By the numbers
350,548: Total shots administered in Oklahoma
50,371: Oklahomans who've gotten both shots
300,177: Oklahomans who've gotten one shot
16%: Net increase in vaccines to be shipped next week to Oklahoma
190,500: Approximate number of Oklahomans 65+ who've gotten at least one shot
Source: Oklahoma Department of Health, as of Jan. 27
Video: When will COVID-19 vaccines be widely available?
What Oklahomans need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine while signing up in Phase 2
What determines how many appointments are available?
The state is reliant on COVID-19 vaccines supplied by the federal government; officials reportedly are notified of shipments one week at a time. The limited supplies make it logistically impossible to schedule vaccinations weeks in advance. Oklahoma officials hope for a policy change that resupplies be based on states' “burn rate,” of how many shipped doses are distributed promptly.
States and tribal leaders are receiving federal shipments of vaccines based on population, OSDH leaders have said. Oklahomans with a CDIB card would go to a tribal health care center for vaccines.
I signed up at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov but never got an email confirmation of any kind — what should I do?
Confirmation emails are sent out in batches; users should receive one within 24-48 business hours of registering. “Emails are sent out over a span of time in the order in which registrations occurred,” the state said. “As a result, some emails may be delayed.” If you've waited at least 48 hours without having gotten a response, it could mean a data-entry error was made by the user during registration.
State and county health officials also have said most of these issues are resolved when the user checks their junk mail folder for messages flagged as spam.
I’ve been told I can make an appointment, but I went to the portal and there were none available within 100 miles — what do I do now?
First, if the portal has a link that says "No appointments available," click anyway. Possible glitches in the system might result in that message showing up even when appointments might be open outside the user's immediate area.
If you're still coming up empty, bookmark and keep checking the “Click here” link emailed to you, says deputy OSDH commissioner Keith Reed. The link does not expire and is the only method to check for appointment availability. No further emails will be sent.
When will new appointments be added to the online portal as the state is updated on the supply of vaccines expected to ship from the federal government?
A new round of scheduling should be available on the portal every Thursday. Starting 5 p.m. Wednesday through Thursday morning, new appointments are uploaded for distribution pods, said Mindy Spohn, OSDH vaccine facilitator.
On Jan. 27, Tulsa Health Department added 8,811 new first-dose appointments, compared to 5,480 appointments added the previous Wednesday night. About 5,000 of those appointments were gone within about two hours; by about 1 a.m., all the Tulsa County appointments were gone.
Someone I know is unable to go online to access the vaccination portal — how can they make sure to get an appointment?
The state recommends that those unable to access the online portal ask a family member or friend with internet capabilities to assist them with the registration process.
Some churches have stepped up to help people without internet access register on the portal, as well as those who need a foreign-language interpreter. State officials have said a Spanish translation is forthcoming for the online vaccine portal.
How are 211 and LIFE Senior Services trying to help?
Call center staff at 211 can help Oklahomans connect to resources they may need to physically access the vaccine distribution sites, but they cannot schedule appointments. OSDH helped add to 211 staff, who can collect patients' contact info to pass on to local health departments for phone scheduling.
LIFE Senior Services is helping callers get scheduled by signing them up on the portal and receiving emails for the patient. Pictured: LIFE Senior Services activities director Amberly Villegas and Geneva Boling.
Can I show up at a vaccination site without an appointment to wait for someone to miss their scheduled time?
No, Tulsa Health Department and other sites say those without appointments are not welcome at known vaccination sites. THD says if someone does miss their appointment, those shots may be offered to first-responders in the area who have not been able to get vaccinated yet.
What happens if I am unable to make my scheduled appointment? Can it be changed?
Asking that residents strive to keep their bookings as time slots are in high demand, the state has said that those who miss their scheduled time will need to make a new appointment. Cancellations or scheduling changes can be made through the portal. “There’s been some difficulty with that,” Spohn said. “Sometimes you have to wait 24 hours to be able to get back in and redirect your appointment because it locks up. … That’s among fixes we’re working on on our end.”
At what point do I schedule my second dose or "booster shot"?
The answer seems to change depending on which site a patient received their first dose.
Second-dose appointments may be scheduled at the time of the first shot. It is not required to schedule booster doses through the portal. “Follow the instructions given when you got your first shot,” OSDH Deputy Commissioner Keith Reed said.
Second-dose appointments may also be made via the state portal, and users will be asked whether they need the Pfizer or Moderna shot. Some clinics have had scheduling issues for second doses, Spohn said, so officials are working to ensure those sites aren’t filling up with only first-dose appointments.
Tulsa Health Department says: “You are able to walk in for your second dose without an appt, provided you come at the same time as your first dose. Must bring your vaccination card with you.” Director Bruce Dart said those who got a Pfizer vaccine through Tulsa Health Department should try to come back to the same site 21 days after the prime dose; those who got Moderna should walk back into the same site 28 days after.
In Wagoner County, second-dose appointments cannot be made until one week before the patient is due for the booster shot.
I can't get an appointment for my booster dose when I am supposed to — is it OK to take it any later?
Those concerned about getting appointments exactly 21 or 28 days after their first dose don’t need to worry; if you’re a little late, it doesn’t cause you to have to restart the shots. You may just take a few more days to reach 95% immunity.
The state says it may take longer for second-dose appointments to show up in the system as those cannot be entered into the system weeks in advance. Because the timing of booster doses means a three- or four-week delay, those scheduling their booster dose via the online portal are told not expect to set the schedule right after the prime dose.
Can I choose whether I receive a Moderna or Pfizer shot?
Some clinics have both Pfizer and Moderna available, but basically it’s whatever is available at the time of the appointment at the site.
Will I be able to drive-through to get my vaccination or will I have to go inside a facility?
Mindy Spohn said the state is trying at each location to help patients with accessibility issues to be able to drive-through. “The problem with drive-throughs … it does limit our throughput because you have a 15-minute observation period.” She said some sites may have found ways to offer drive-through with observation, "but their ability to reach large numbers is limited because of that."
My email says I'm registered but not eligible yet. How and when will I get to make an appointment?
Oklahoma will attempt to exhaust doses within each priority group (thus far: health care workers and those 65 or older) before making vaccines available in further phases of the rollout. Phase 2 also includes those younger than 65 who have comorbidities, but appointments have not been opened up to that group yet, Reed said. He noted older Oklahomans are already having issues signing up and the state doesn't want "an even bigger group competing with them to get appointments."
However, new groups may be added while previous priority groups are still scheduling their appointments. When supplies ramp up from the federal government, state officials have said some of those doses will be made available to pandemic providers including retail pharmacies, primary care doctors and urgent care clinics. Spohn said likely those in Phase 3 and 4 would make appointments directly through those providers rather than through the state portal.
If I have already had COVID-19, do I still need to consider getting the vaccine?
The short answer is yes. Dr. Jennifer Clark, who leads Project ECHO’s COVID-19 data sessions, said the human body’s natural immunity isn’t fully reliable and can be erratic. She said the response a person’s body will have from the vaccine will be more reliable and robust relative to the body’s natural immune response. Monks recommends waiting 90 days after recovering, especially if those who received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma.
Do I still need to practice the three W’s after getting my vaccination?
Yes, it is vital for Oklahomans to continue to wear masks, wash their hands and watch their distance even after being vaccinated. The vaccine effectively protects recipients, but recipients may still be able to spread the virus to others. The CDC has not yet determined if or when it will stop recommending that people wear masks and avoid close contact with others to help prevent community spread.
Can you be a carrier of the virus after receiving a vaccination?
"We have to assume the answer is yes, you can. In other infectious diseases, this happens pretty commonly, though in others it does not. It won’t be known for another few months as we’ve gotten lots of people vaccinated and then tested with viral swabs," Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation President Dr. Stephen Prescott said.
Why do I have to wait 15 minutes before being able to leave after my vaccination, and what side effects are common?
Any adverse reaction that could endanger the patient's health should be evident within 15 minutes, so those receiving the vaccine must agree to observation during that time. Dr. George Monks, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, said possible side effects include mild pain or swelling at the injection site, true of any medicine injected into skin. Other possible side effects include mild fever, chills, tiredness and headache. Monks said side effects are almost always mild and are more common in younger people or when receiving the boost dose. Monks said one can think of the symptoms as a sign that the vaccine is working.
I have an autoimmune disorder; is the vaccine safe for me?
Officials counsel all patients with concerns about their medical history to consult their primary care physician before scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Stephen Prescott of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation says a study is coming “pretty soon” with patients who have Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. “We will start enrolling patients in that trial under strict safety conditions and test response to the vaccine.”
How many vaccine doses have gone to waste in Oklahoma?
State officials say there is no problem with expiring vaccines; doses arriving each week are already scheduled to be distributed the following week. “We don’t have any vaccine that’s sitting on the shelf,” says deputy OSDH commissioner Keith Reed. He noted small-scale issues like needle errors causing sporadic wasted doses, but nothing on a large scale.
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Extra vaccine appointments being added for Tulsa County with release of some booster doses - Tulsa World
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