A Muscogee (Creek) Nation medical assistant prepares the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for the Tribe’s first vaccination on December 16, 2020. Photo courtesy MCN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 16, 2020
Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health Receives First Shipment of COVID-19 Vaccine
MCNDH will begin vaccinating front-line healthcare workers today
OKMULGEE — The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health (MCNDH) announced that it has received the first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinations will begin for health care workers today.
MCNDH will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Indian Health Service’s recommended vaccination distribution schedule. Health care workers will be the first to receive the vaccination, followed by first responders, MCN Elders 65 and older and other high-risk populations. As more doses become available, MCNDH will offer the vaccine to tribal citizens and the general public.
“We are so excited to receive our first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Principal Chief David Hill. “Our Department of Health has been a shining example during this pandemic with proactive measures and effective mitigation strategies. I am pleased we are able to begin distributing this life-saving vaccine and getting on the path to healing for our Nation.”
Because there will not be enough vaccine available to reduce virus transmission until the Spring, the MCNDH encourages Oklahomans to help slow the spread of COVID-19 by continuing to wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance.
“We are pleased to offer the vaccine to frontline healthcare workers who are protecting Oklahomans against this pandemic,” said Shawn Terry, Secretary of Health for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health. “We will distribute widely as more doses become available, with the understanding that our plans must remain flexible to adapt to the changing dynamics and unknown factors.”
For more information about MCNDH’s COVID-19 response, please visit www.creekhealth.org/
About Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health
Headquartered in Okmulgee Okla., the Muscogee (Creek) Nation is the fourth largest tribe in the United States with more than 89,000 citizens. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health operates 6 clinics and a physical rehabilitation center serving tribal citizens. MCNDH also provides inpatient and emergency services in Okmulgee and Okemah to both tribal citizens and non-Native patients through its community hospitals and long-term acute care facility.
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