Oklahoma Sees Increase In COVID-19 Cases; Ranks 11th Nationally In Administering Vaccine Quickly

The Healthier Oklahoma Coalition said the state ranks sixth highest in the U.S. for the rate of new COVID-19 cases in the last week.

Despite the increase in reported cases and the high number of people who are hospitalized because of COVID-19, medical leaders say there is some good news.

Coalition leaders said Oklahoma ranks 11th in the U.S. for how quickly vaccines are being administered. They said even though there are some delays, the state is ahead of schedule on administering doses of the vaccine to people older than 65.

The Healthier Oklahoma Coalition also talked about several new strains of COVID-19, including a variant from the UK.

Oklahoma State Medical Association President George Monks said that one is called B117, which is easier for people to catch, but is less deadly.

Monks said COVID-19 tests will still detect it, and Pfizer said its vaccine is still effective against it.

"There's been no confirmed cases of these variants of concern in Oklahoma, but we know it's been found in 10 states in the United States, including two Oklahoma bordering states, Texas and Colorado," Monks said.

Monks said it's a safe bet that this new variant is here in Oklahoma as well.