State Health Department Rolls Out ‘Vaccine Vans’ For Oklahoma’s Rural Areas

The state health department are rolling out a way to give out the COVID vaccine rural areas. Different counties are now using "vaccine vans" travel anywhere to give the shot.

"So, this is an opportunity to go to the community and go to the people we need to serve," Kristen Carollo with the Oklahoma State Health Department said.  She said Oklahoma's rural areas have fewer vaccines options, so they're driving the shots to them.

"We are currently taking our mobile units are mobile vans out at different locations such as grocery stores maybe hotels or apartments or even at food pantries. This is so that way, people who might not necessarily want to make an appointment can still access the vaccine," Corollo said. 

The health department has used the vaccine vans for a few weeks. Each van has an EMT and nurses and will park at to two different locations a day.

"Even if we sit out here for six hours and just give two shots, at least that is two more shots to help people get the pandemic over with," said EMT Sabrina Mabbin.

"We saw the van that said free COVID vaccines. So, I pulled back in," patient Aimee Marion said. Marion and her daughter Julien used the van for their first dose and praised the idea.

"I like that's its available like this. I'm not having to wait inside a clinic," said Julien.

"This is a huge advantage. All you had to do was pull off the road, sign some paperwork, give your ID. It's very convenient," Aimee said. 

Corollo said if a van is not in a person's area when they need their second dose, a person can go to any health department or pharmacy. All eight county health departments District 7, including Muskogee and McIntosh Counties, will be offering walk-in vaccines starting next week.