About 45% of Comanche County residents 12 and older have received the COVID-19 vaccine, but there’s plenty of work to be done, according to a state health official.
Brandie Combs, regional health department director for a 10-county area in southwest Oklahoma, told the Comanche County Commissioners during their Monday meeting that the vaccines have “completely changed the game” since last year’s pandemic that killed and hospitalized hundreds of thousands of people nationwide.
Still, there are too many people who refuse to be vaccinated, particularly among 12- to 35- year-olds, she said. At the same time, those 65 and older rushed to get the vaccine as soon as it became available. Combs urged people who have so far refused to be vaccinated to re-examine their opinion and get the vaccinations.
“The Delta variant is more transmissible,” she said. “It has the ability to change and mutate. People need to look at this and take it seriously. The more we promote the vaccinations the better we’ll be.”
Combs urged people, particularly parents of minors, to educate themselves with accurate information and don’t be swayed by misinformation on social media.
“Yes, it’s about protecting yourself, but it’s also about protecting the community,” she said.
State health department figures show 44.8% of Comanche residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 53.9% have received at least one dose. As a regional health director Combs oversees the 10-county area that also includes Beckham, Caddo, Cotton, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Kiowa, Tillman and Washita counties. Caddo County residents have been most receptive to the COVID-19 vaccination with 55.2% of those 12 and older fully vaccinated and 61.6% receiving at least one dose of the vaccine.
Statewide, 47.2% of residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated while 55.2% have received one vaccine shot, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Oklahoma ranks 38th among states whose residents 12 and older have received at least one dose. Those numbers rise nationwide with 57.1% being fully vaccinated and 65.8% receiving at least one dose.
“I would say it’s being taken seriously by a majority of people,” Combs said. “But we do need to figure out how to educate more people. I think a lot of people did not get the second shot because of side effects from the first dose, but they should know it’s important to get the second shot. If we could hit 70% for fully vaccinated people, that would be our target - the more, the better.”
As a self-described optimist, Combs said she’d like to see the fully vaccinated and one-dose figures get higher, but she acknowledged “I don’t foresee it based on these (current) numbers.”
Combs said the state health department’s mobile unit has been busy in July by offering free vaccines at several locations. On Saturday, July 31, vaccines will be administered 9-11 a.m. at the Centenary Methodist Church, 704 SW D Avenue. Anyone 12 or older can receive the shot, but those 12-17 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No appointment is needed.
In addition, COVID-19 vaccines are administered at the county health department from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. No appointments are needed, and the vaccines are free. The vaccines are available for anyone 12 and older. However, those under 18 can only receive the Pfizer shot, according to the county health department.