One Times & Free Press reader said booking an online COVID-19 vaccination appointment right now is about like trying to score a Rolling Stones concert ticket the day they go on sale.

Millennials might not appreciate the reference, but the hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans in the over 65 crowd who are returning multiple times a day to the booking page at vaccinate. oklahoma.org know exactly what Kingfisher resident Michael Louthan is talking about.

Currently, vaccines are available to residents over 65, first responders and other health care workers, a population that far exceeds the number of doses currently available.

But despite the frustrations of too many qualifying vaccine candidates chasing too few appointments, Oklahoma is holding its own in what is the most ambitious mass inoculation project in the history of the world.

The state was ranked eighth in the nation Thursday in the number of vaccines administered per 100,000 population (4,733 per 100,000) and 11th in the percentage of vaccines received which have been administered (43.43 %).

Nationwide, 30,628,1 75 vaccines have been distributed among the states and territories, 11,148,991 residents have been inoculated with at least one dose, including 1,342,086 who have received both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

In Oklahoma, a total of 399,300 doses have been received and 187,266 residents have been vaccinated, including 26,227 who have received both doses.

States ahead of Oklahoma in terms of the number of vaccinations administered per 100,000 population included West Virginia (6,621), South Dakota (6,136), Alaska (5,823), North Dakota (5,613), District of Columbia (5,197), Connecticut (4,821), and Vermont (4,739).

Maggie Jackson, health department community engagement and planning director for Canadian, Blaine, Kingfisher, Garfield, Grant, Logan and Major counties, said as of Friday that her counties had administered nearly 14,000 shots, including nearly 300 in Kingfisher County.

She expects the pace to pick up as the health department begins expanding its vaccination schedule.

Instead of plans announced earlier to host a large one-day vaccination event offsite to make the shots more accessible, the county health department is expanding its onsite vaccination schedule from the initial one-day per week.

“We are opening up 60 appointments every day next week,” she said. “We will try to do that many appointments ongoing as we have staff and vaccines available.”

Local appointments can be booked through the online portal only and can’tbe scheduled via phone or in person visit to the county health department.

Users register once via a series of questionnaires at vaccinate.ok.gov and then are notified via email when they qualify for a vaccination and when appointments are available to be booked.

The state health department encourages family members and friends to help older citizens and those without computer access to navigate the registration process.

Emails used in the system don’thave to be unique, so several people can be registered utilizing the same email address.

So one person with computer knowledge and access can register on behalf of a number of other family members or friends and help them navigate the appointment setting process.

Additionally, the city of Kingfisher is making computers and assistance available at Kingfisher Memorial Library for those who wish to register there, City Manager Dave Slezickey said.

“We do have computers at the library and can assist those eligible for a vaccine that do not have access to a computer, but we can’t control when the appointment windows open and close,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Kingfisher County Health Department said that the online portal “is definitely doing what it’s supposed to” in that it is a central scheduling hub for vaccination appointments at any health department in the state.

Those who sign up and are approved for a vaccine can schedule an appointment at any health department in the state, regardless of their county of residence.

Based on comments on social media, some local residents are traveling as far as Alva, Weatherford, Clinton and other locations to receive their vaccines, based on availability of appointments.

As more vaccine manufacterers receive federal approval and quantities are ramped up, more appointments will become available and more groups will become qualified to receive them under the state’s distribution plan.

Both Kingfisher city and county officials are supportive of the health department’s efforts to get the vaccines out as quickly as possible.

“The rollout of the vaccine has been bumpy, with limited supply and appointment, but these are real issues with logistics that should be expected with any rollout of a program for 330 million people,” Heath Dobrovolny, chairman of the board of county commissioners, said.

“Issues with supply or limited appointments is no direct fault of our local health department.

“I know (Administrative Assistant) Jennifer Boyle and her staff are working diligently during this difficult time to get the vaccine out to as many people in Kingfisher County as possible.

“I would urge the public to have patience and understanding with the size and scope of such a monumental undertaking which our health department is a part of.”

Slezickey agreed.

“I think the state and health department are doing a good job getting the vaccines distributed for issue as soon as they are available.

“The health department has no control over supply, production or the quantities received locally, but they are definitely getting the vaccines out to the people.”

The city administration and governing board has resisted implementing mask mandates and other COVID-19 protocols and instead has adopted a philosophy of encouraging voluntary adoption of those precautions.

“I think our view of encouraging verses mandating has been that this is a community issue and requires individual responsibility to get past,” Slezickey said.

“The human race has a good history of overcoming pandemics, but it requires everyone doing their part. I think we have greater success with asking for voluntary compliance than requiring forced compliance that is impossible to fully enforce.”

Slezickey said he has the same philosophy toward the vaccine, believing it to be a matter of individual choice, even though he intends to receive one himself when eligible.

“I don’t fully understand the science on the vaccine, have read some, but not enough to be a subject matter expert,” he said.

“But I believe the vaccine is beneficial.

“I’m not thrilled to wear a mask, but if it helps prevent the spread, I wear it. I see the vaccine in the same way, I hate needles with a passion, but I’ll get a shot when its my turn in line if there is a chance that it helps the community and society.”

The vaccines are administered via a shot in the arm and those receiving them will be monitored for 30 minutes afterward to make sure they don’t suffer an adverse reaction.

The current distribution system at the state level does not allow for individuals to choose between receiving the Pfizer or Moderna version of the vaccines, but the same vaccine will be administered for both doses.