Oklahomans 'OK' with COVID-19 vaccine

Most Oklahomans say they’ll get vaccinated against the coronavirus, the results of a recent survey show. Approximately 65% of Oklahoma residents in a December poll said they will take the coronavirus vaccine when they are eligible to receive it under the state’s multi-phase vaccination program, state health officials said Dec. 29.

Amber Integrated, an Oklahoma City firm, polled 1,500 Oklahomans for the survey. “We’re pleased to see the results of this survey indicate most Oklahomans are confident in the safety of vaccines — as are we,” Commissioner of Health Dr. Lance Frye said in a news release.

“The COVID-19 vaccines available to Oklahomans have been carefully vetted by the FDA and have gone through all the typical regulatory processes to ensure they’re just as safe as any other vaccine. They’re outstandingly effective. We’re very optimistic for how these vaccines will work to protect Oklahomans.” As of press time, more than 50,000 Oklahomans had been vaccinated against the coronavirus, and state health officials said they’ve already received almost 180,000 vaccine doses to be administered.

“We have worked for months on a plan to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine to Oklahomans as efficiently and quickly as possible, and so far, we have seen that plan successfully rolled out,” Frye said in a Dec. 29 news release.

“This means we have been able to start to protect nearly 30,000 Oklahomans from this virus, with many thousands more to come in the coming weeks. We remain committed to getting this vaccine out the door and into the arms of Oklahomans who need it the most.”

State health officials said Dec. 29 they’d begin vaccinating adults ages 65 and older and people who have comorbidities.

For more information on vaccinations, visit https://oklahoma.gov/covid19/vaccineinformation/vaccine-faqs. html.

CASE NUMBERS RISE IN COUNTY, STATE Kay County has more than 3,500 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, state health officials reported Tuesday.

As of press time, data from the Oklahoma State Health Department showed that Kay County had 3,524 cases of the virus, 526 of which are active. Officials said 2,964 Kay County residents have recovered from the virus, and 34 have died from it. State officials report that there are 2,613 cases of the virus in Ponca City. Seventeen people there have died, and 2,188 have recovered.

Blackwell has 418 cases, with 344 recoveries and seven deaths. Newkirk has 299 cases, with 257 recoveries and two deaths. Tonkawa has 235 cases, with 198 recoveries and seven deaths. Kaw City has 46 cases, with 40 recoveries and one death.

Braman has 17 cases, with 12 recoveries and no deaths. The state health department does not provide data on coronavirus cases in some of the state’s smallest towns, including Nardin in Kay County. As of press time, the State of Oklahoma had 306,771 cases of the virus. Of those cases, 36,646 are active. Statewide, 267,573 people have recovered from the virus, and 2,552 people have died from it.