Officials: No one participated in Oklahoma travel center COVID-19 vaccine event

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR) - The Oklahoma City-County Health Department said they had 50 Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines ready to administer during the state's tourism event at the travel information center in Midwest City. However, not one person received the shot.

"Given our locations today we wanted to make sure people at least got one shot incase they don't know where they can get a second shot, given that they're traveling," said Molly Fleming with the OCCHD. 

The OCCHD sent local "Strike" and Medical Reserve Corps. teams to travel information centers in Midwest City and Northeast OKC, to offer vaccines to Oklahomans participating in National Tourism week.

"That's the perk of getting vaccinated you have that freedom you don't have to worry about being as protected," said Fleming.

However, no one received the vaccine during the 4-hour event.

"When I was talking to my nurses they said that a lot of people they talked to have already had their vaccine, which is awesome! That's good!" she said.

Health Officials said it's a trend they're seeing, as more appointment-based vaccine events have several open spots left.

"We'll be ready to do 25-hundred only 15-hundred sign up so then we'll do that extra thousand [to walk-ins]," Fleming told News 4.

Moving forward, the OCCHD plans to do more of these smaller pop-up events at community events or just around town.

"We obviously need to make it more available," said Flemming. "We need to be in front of people as they're walking to the grocery store."

Due to low participation on Friday, the OCCHD announced it will not be vaccinating at the travel centers on Saturday.