Dec 20, 2020
NORMAN â The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported a record number of 4,970 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, which smashes the previous record by over 140 cases.
The state also reported 23 new COVID-related deaths on Sunday, bringing the death toll up to 2,212 people.
As of Sunday, there are 35,752 people actively infected with the coronavirus.
Oklahoma currently ranks amongst the worst states when it comes to COVID-19, according to data from the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Officials in Oklahoma have not yet released the latest task force report and have not responded to questions over whether they are still requesting the report.
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Though Oklahoma received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, it didnât arrive in Norman until Thursday, when both Griffin Memorial Hospital and Norman Regional Hospital administered the vaccine to some of their employees.
Employees of Griffin Memorial came flooding to the hospitalâs clinic as soon as the vaccine was offered. Within the first hour, over 75 employees of the hospital had already received the vaccination, said Henry Hartsell, executive director of Griffin Memorial.
âThis is wonderful â we are so fortunate here in Norman, Oklahoma to be among some of the first people on the planet to get this vaccine that is going to protect our staff, our patients, their families and the community,â Hartsell said. âItâs an amazing day.â