FEMA Addresses Low Turnout At Tulsa Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Center

FEMA’s mass vaccination site in Tulsa is not seeing the turnout expected, with only a few hundred people showing up to get their COVID-19 vaccines.

OU Health’s Chief COVID Officer Dr. Dale Bratzler said there could be a variety of reasons why the site is not seeing long lines. He said the biggest thing is that those who wanted a dose, already received theirs.

“There was a lot of demand and very little access to the vaccine,” Juan Ayala with FEMA said.

Ayala said with the vaccination site able to administer 3,000 doses a day, there is now plenty of access.

Tulsa Health Department Executive Director Dr. Bruce Dart said the federal program has been placed in socially vulnerable areas across the country. However, only about 600 have come through the Tulsa location it opened last Wednesday.

Ayala believes the low turnout at this site is because of how easy it’s become to get a dose at so many other places.

“I think we are victims of our success because we are seeing very few new cases today,” Dr. Bratzler said.

Dr. Bratzler said a drop in COVID-19 cases means more people view vaccinations with less urgency.

“I know people want to get back to life, the only way we are going to do it is to have a fully vaccinated population,” Dr. Dart said.

The vaccination site will be available for the next seven weeks and will be open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.