Oklahoma Group Helps State With COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Medical professionals are urging Oklahomans sign-up to volunteer with the COVID-19 vaccination effort.

They say doing so is critical to getting everyone their vaccine doses.

The Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps says they have thousands of volunteers across the state.

The group says this pool of people is useful for easing medical and health personnel shortages at local vaccination centers.

OMRC leaders say they have been working with local health departments since early March. The work includes things like collecting specimens, case investigation, contact tracing and vaccination pods.

Tulsa County Coordinator Carrie Suns says you don't have to have any medical background to volunteer -- because they need people with all skillsets.

The OMRC says it takes at least four non-medical staffers to help each medical worker.

"If you think about it when you go to a hospital, it's not just doctors and nurses that are running the show. You've got to have everyone there to make it a successful organization. So, we need everyone to come together and help us get through this response to help Oklahoma be one of the first in the nation to get everyone vaccinated," Suns said.

Suns says they've seen a big increase already in the number of people volunteering.

This month alone, the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps has received more than 550 volunteer applications.