OSDH Announced Updates To COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Plan

After a U.S. advisory panel voted to recommend an emergency grant for the Pfizer vaccine, Oklahoma Health officials announced part of their rollout plan. 

Advisors say the vaccine seems to be safe for emergency use in people 16 and older. The final FDA decision is expected within days, but Pfizer says it will have about 25 million doses of the two-shot vaccine ready for the U.S. by the end of December.

The first shipments of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive in Oklahoma County Wednesday, with the second round coming just before Christmas.

The state health department says the first doses of the vaccine will be provided for front line healthcare workers as soon as possible.

The Oklahoma City-County health department says their goal is to get everyone in the county's nursing homes and care facilities vaccinated by the end of January.

The county approved up to $7 million in bonds to fund the design and construction of a Drive-Thru facility and warehouse for mass COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.

"Even if COVID was not here and with us, we needed this facility for years," said Carlos Patrick McGough, OCCHD Director. “We’ve been at the mercy of other people, other locations throughout the city and country."

The facility will be located on the county health departments east side off Northeast 63rd Street.

Groundbreaking is set for late February, construction is expected to be complete by next summer. 

We're told the drive-thru has three lanes and can hold up to nine car

Read Related: Drive-Thru Testing, Vaccination Site Coming To OCCHD Campus In 2021