A total of 10 additional COVID-19 related deaths have been reported in the four counties immediately surrounding Kingfisher in the first week of the year, according to Oklahoma State Department of Health online data.

However, the number of active cases has declined in Kingfisher, Garfield, Logan and Blaine counties over the same seven-day period and no additional deaths had been reported in this county.

All county zip code regions also showed slight declines in active cases over the first week of the year.

Meanwhile, area residents are experiencing frustrations in trying to schedule COVID-19 vaccines, as demand among those who are currently eligible has far exceeded supply and vaccine requests have swamped the state health department system at every level.

At one point last week, Kingfisher County Health Department was receiving more than 300 phone calls per hour from residents requesting vaccination appointments, a spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the OSDH established an online portal where all state residents can register and then be notified by email whether they currently qualify to receive a vaccine and whether a vaccination appointment is currently available.

The portal can be accessed by typing vaccinate. oklahoma.gov directly into a web browser or via a link on the county health department’s Facebook Page.

Currently, vaccinations are available to first responders, other health care workers and anyone who is over age 65, but State Sen. Darcy Jech, who participates in weekly video meetings with the state health department, urged patience.

“We have more than 600,000 residents who are older than 65 and the state is only receiving 30,000 doses or so per week,” Jech said Thursday. “Plus there are still people who qualified for vaccinations in Phase 1 who haven’t got their shots yet.

“We just have to be patient and recognize that it’s going to be awhile before we can vaccinate everyone in the state who wants the vaccine.”