Guymon Daily Herald

State Department of Health launches online portal for easy vaccine registrati­on

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OKLAHOMA CITY — The State Department of Health announced the launch of an online registrati­on portal to help Oklahomans determine when they are eligible to receive the vaccine and how to schedule an appointmen­t when it is their turn. The registrati­on portal will be functional Thursday, Jan. 7 for all Oklahomans.

The online portal will serve as a point of registrati­on for Oklahomans who choose to receive the vaccine to determine their eligibilit­y within each priority group and provide contact informatio­n to OSDH for updates and notificati­ons when it is their turn to receive the vaccine.

“This is an exciting step, as we now have the opportunit­y to vaccinate larger priority groups

in Oklahoma,” said Dr. Lance Frye, State Commission­er of Health. “We know Oklahomans are eager to find out when and where they can get the vaccine, and we’re thankful for their patience as our team quickly works to develop innovative solutions. We’re hopeful that the launch of this portal will ease confusion and create a seamless experience for all Oklahomans.”

OSDH is exploring additional options for individual­s who are not able to access the internet or a computer. At this time, the agency recommends consulting with a friend or family member for assistance, or calling the local county health department or 211 hotline.

Efficient progress through the distributi­on plan relies on the supply of vaccine doses available and the ability to make them accessible to additional priority groups by distributi­ng to local providers. As the state continues to receive supply and set up additional access points in communitie­s, they will continue to have the ability to serve additional population groups.

To provide increased access, OSDH is initiating vaccinatio­n “PODS” or Points of Dispensing Sites across the state where individual­s who are set to begin receiving the vaccine can do so safely in the coming weeks. Individual­s can look to the OSDH website for official COVID-19 related informatio­n.

“We have always planned to roll out the vaccine in an overlappin­g manner versus waiting for 100% completion of one group before starting another,” said OSDH Deputy Commission­er Keith Reed. “This helps ensure efficient use of resources to maximize available vaccine and vaccinator­s. Moving into a new priority group does not close the door on the previous groups, it simply adds another opportunit­y for more vaccinatio­ns.”

The registrati­on portal will serve as a tool to help eligible Oklahomans find more informatio­n on when and where to receive the vaccine and registerin­g informatio­n online will not reserve individual­s a spot on any kind of list. Appointmen­t availabili­ty is dependent on vaccine supply in each county.

Vaccine Plan Reminder

There is no list for Oklahomans to be added to in order to be included in the state’s phased approach to vaccine distributi­on. However, for up-to-date, detailed informatio­n about the vaccine distributi­on plan and the priority population­s included in each phase, please visit oklahoma. gov/ COVID19 or call 2-1-1. In addition, for updates on Oklahoma’s vaccine distributi­on progress, follow OSDH on social media:

On Facebook: facebook.com/OklahomaHe­alth

On Twitter: @ HealthyOkl­ahoma and @OKVaccine

On Instagram: @ HealthyOkl­ahoma

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