OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma State Department of Health leaders and health experts announced and discussed updates to the coronavirus Vaccine Priority Groups during a press conference on Friday.
WATCH the OSDH Vaccine Priority Groups press conference LIVE below:
Oklahoma expects to receive the first 33,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine the week of Dec. 14th, according to OSDH.
OSDH made adjustments to Oklahoma's vaccine plan to make sure there is efficient distributions to Oklahomans and minimal waste as the state receives additional shipments.
BELOW are the updates OSDH officials made to the Vaccine Priority Groups:
PHASE #1 (Anticipated initiation month based on current outlays of federal vaccine supply schedules Dec 2020)
1. Long Term Care residents and staff served by the federal LTC Pharmacy Partnership Program
a. Plan A - Nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities
b. Plan B – Assisted Living, Intermediate Care Facilities, Group Homes
c. CVS and Walgreens staff administering COVID vaccine to the LTC residents and staff
Description: Workers in residential health care settings who either work in situations where risk of transmission is high or are at an elevated risk of transmitting the infection to patients at high risk of mortality and severe morbidity. Individuals living in residential health care settings that increase their risk of infection and resultant morbidity and mortality.
Estimated Population: 62,000
2. Health care workers providing direct inpatient COVID care, including but not limited to Emergency Rooms, hospitals, Intensive Care Units, etc, and other workers inherent to the care of COVID patients as determined by the inpatient facility (e.g. janitorial, food service, etc).
Description: Workers in acute/emergency/inpatient health care settings who either work in situations where risk of transmission is high or are at an elevated risk of transmitting the infection to patients at high risk of mortality and severe morbidity.
Estimated Population: 84,000
3. Public health staff conducting front line COVID-19 pandemic mitigation and control activities (including but not limited to nurses administering COVID vaccine, public and private lab personnel processing COVID specimens, and other public health staff inherent to the COVID testing/vaccine process with direct contact with the public).
Description: Workers in public health settings who either work in situations where risk of transmission is high, who themselves are unable to avoid exposure to the virus, and who play a critical role in ensuring that those with or suspected of COVID are able to be served by the public health system.
Estimated Population: 500
4. Oklahoma, state licensed, Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics.
Description: Workers who provide direct, emergency services to those with or suspected of COVID when rendering necessary immediate care as an extension of the direct, inpatient COVID care provided by hospitals. Oklahoma licensed personnel includes: certified emergency medical responders, licensed EMTs, Intermediates, Advanced EMTs, and Paramedics.
Estimated Population: 11,400
PHASE #2 (Anticipated initiation month based on current outlays of federal vaccine supply schedules and ongoing uptake Jan 2021)
1. First responders, paid and unpaid (including but not limited to, fire departments, law enforcement, homeland security, emergency managers, and medical examiners).
Description: Workers who provide emergency services in some situations where exposure to infected individuals is unavoidable when rendering necessary immediate care to the public.
Estimated Population: 5,000
2. Health care workers providing direct, COVID outpatient care and services, who through the course of their daily roles are not able to maintain social distancing, including but not limited to:
a. Workers providing care primarily for adults 65 and older, and/or adults of any age with comorbidities.
b. Workers directly treating or screening for COVID.
c. Workers in high-risk outpatient settings such as those performing aerosolized procedures or close examinations of the nasopharynx, dentists, speech-language pathologists, etc.
d. Workers in urgent care, outpatient facilities, primary care, federally qualified health centers, community health centers, rural health centers, pharmacies (not involved in the federal allocation plan), home health, hospice, rehabilitation services, occupational/physical therapy, etc.
e. Death care workers, involved in the handling of deceased COVID persons
Description: Workers in outpatient, chronic health care settings who either work in situations where risk of transmission is high or are at an elevated risk of transmitting the infection to patients at high risk of mortality and severe morbidity.
Estimated Population: 67,000
3. Adults age 65 and older, and adults of any age with comorbidities.
Description: Older adults and adults with one or multiple comorbid conditions including not limited to hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung, liver or renal disease, cancers, who are at high risk of mortality and severe morbidity resulting from COVID infection.
Estimated Population: 635,000
4. Staff and residents in congregate locations and worksites including but not limited to:
a. Homeless shelters
b. Public and private, state and municipal prisons/jails, not including those facilities served by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and involved in the federal allocation plan)
c. Certain manufacturing facilities with limited social distancing capacity who are critical to the maintenance of the food supply
Description: Workers and persons living in congregate settings who are at high risk of exposure to and transmission of COVID infection.
Estimated Population: 18,000
5. Public health staff supporting front line efforts, senior state, county, and city government leaders and elected officials critical to maintain continuity of governmental operations and services.
Description: Workers whose work is vital to the function of society and the economy, who work without adequate protection while in close proximity with coworkers and members of the public, and who are at high risk of exposure to and transmission of COVID infection.
Estimated Population: 2,000
PHASE #3 (Anticipated initiation to be determined when future federal vaccine production outlays are known)
1. Teachers, students, residents and administrative staff in educational settings including but not limited to:
a. Pre-K-12 schools, child care facilities, early childhood facilities, colleges, universities, career/vocational technology centers, and other post-secondary institutions as may be eligible for the vaccine (e.g. if the vaccine is approved for appropriate ages <18 years to receive the vaccine).
Description: Workers and students, for which exposure is very difficult to control due to the nature of their institutions, and who serve an important societal role ensuring educational needs are met.
Estimated Population: 1,022,000
2. Critical infrastructure personnel ("essential business/industry" personnel) as specified in the Governor's 3rd executive order.
Description: Workers who are at high risk of exposure to, transmission of, and morbidity and mortality resulting from COVID infection.
Estimated Population: 1,500,000
PHASE #4 (Anticipated initiation to be determined when future federal vaccine production outlays are known)
Open to all Oklahoma residents.
Description: All Oklahoma residents who are at high risk of exposure to, transmission of, and morbidity and mortality resulting from COVID infection.
Estimated Population: 556,500
CLICK HERE for Oklahoma State Department of Health's updates to the Vaccine Priority Groups.
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