Biden's plan brings 500 thousand masks to Oklahoma pharmacies

State health officials are delivering 500,000 N-95 masks to pharmacies across Oklahoma as part of President Joe Biden’s plan to distribute 400 million masks across the nation.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health is working with the Oklahoma Pharmacists Association and pharmacies across the state to get the masks in the hands – and on the faces – of Oklahomans.

The masks are available for free to residents. The first shipments of masks arrived at Oklahoma pharmacies Jan. 27. Hutton Pharmacy in Blackwell had not received these masks as of press time. Oklahoma has more than 100,000 active cases of coronavirus statewide, state health officials reported Monday.

The state has 102,018 active cases, more than 4,800 of which were reported Monday. Since the pandemic began, Oklahoma has had 976,914 coronavirus cases. Statewide, 13,333 people have died from the virus. State officials reported Jan. 10 that 2,170,267 Oklahomans, more than 58% of the state’s eligible population, were fully vaccinated.

More than 724,000 Oklahomans have taken a booster dose as of Jan. 18. Kay County has had nearly 10,000 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in March 2020, the Kay County Health Department reported Jan. 27. A little more than half of all county residents over the age of 5 have had at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

As of Jan. 24, Blackwell had 1,374 cases, with 1,171 recoveries and 41 deaths. Braman had 67 cases, seven of which were active. Kaw City had 131 cases, five of which were active. Newkirk has had 886 cases, with 789 recoveries and 10 deaths. Ponca City has had 7,833 cases, with 6,759 recoveries and 120 deaths.

Tonkawa has had 765 cases, with 658 recoveries and 19 deaths. The state health department does not provide data on coronavirus cases in some of the state’s smallest towns, including Nardin in Kay County.

Vaccinations are available for free at some pharmacies and stores across the county, among other locations.

For more information on vaccinations, or to schedule a vaccine appointment, visit https://oklahoma.gov/co- vid19/vaccine-information/ vaccine-faqs.html.