Comanche Co. Health Dept. works with OK Medical Reserve Corps to continue vaccinations

LAWTON, Okla. (TNN) - The Comanche County Health Department continued vaccinating the 65 and older population Saturday at First United Methodist Church in Lawton.

Ana Gill was excited, and not just to get her first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, but because it was her birthday.

“Today’s my birthday, so I’m so happy,” Gill said. “I’m 80 years old and get my first shot.”

She said she never thought she’d experience a pandemic in her lifetime, and it’s been scary, but she’s ready to get back to normal life.

“I think that we will get back to normal life if everybody tried to get the vaccine I really believe in that,” Gill said.

The Health Department brought the state six hundred people closer to that goal today with the help of volunteers from the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corp.

The Local Emergency Response Coordinator for District 5 Rebecca Villa-Wimsett said these volunteers are critical to distributing the shots.

“Most of the deaths are occurring in this age group of 65 and above,” Villa-Wimsett, “so we want to make sure that those that are the most fragile and the most at risk are vaccinated first.”

On Thursday, the state unveiled a new website designed to help Oklahomans pre-register and schedule a vaccination appointment. She said from helping with self-administered testing to watching people actually get the vaccine, she now feels a sense of hope.

“It has been wonderful,” Villa-Wimsett said. “It has really been a great opportunity for us to see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”

You can visit vaccinate.oklahoma.gov to schedule an appointment. Those who don’t have access to the internet or social media for updates on vaccination appointments can call 211 for more information on how to schedule an appointment.

The next vaccinations in Comanche County will be this Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Great Plains Coliseum Annex in Lawton.

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