OKC VA Scheduling Vaccine Appointments For Veterans

The Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Center is opening appointments for veterans of all ages to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

As the VA has followed their own guidelines to get their veterans vaccinated, they now have enough supply to open the vaccine to all ages.

The VA has seen a 90% decrease in veterans hospitalized just over the past two months, saying one of the most significant factors is the availability of immunization.

The organization is focusing on education for those hesitant to get the vaccine. But they say they are seeing high demand from veterans.

The VA has been able to vaccinate over 16,000 people. An additional 5,000 have been vaccinated through the community. The state is just to the hallway point towards herd immunity as the CDC reports 32% of Oklahoman's getting their first dose of the vaccine.

"We are about the same shape with our veterans as the state is," said Chris Gentry, Chief of Pharmacy with the OKC VA. "Our goal is, like you said, to reach half of that, and we are working on getting there."

This week the VA received the first shipments of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine. They are still waiting for more of this single-dose vaccine before they can go and give homebound veterans their shot.