The Tri-CHIO heard about the CATCH-UP Oklahoma program through the statewide CHIO system. Through the CATCH-UP Oklahoma program, our group has been able to provide antibody testing to over 300 individuals in the community. These test provide directions on whether or not a person needs a booster, or assurance that the immunizations are working, which provides peace of mind for those who are vaccinated. One participant was able to see that her COVID antibodies were weak. She is immunosuppressed and was able to make an appointment to get her booster that day! Another participant learned that though she was fully vaccinated, her antibodies were weak. This prompted a visit with her physician to discuss receiving the booster. Other participants were encouraged and emboldened when they realized their vaccines were creating antibodies to help them recover faster or avoid COVID altogether. The Tri-CHIO was encouraged by the numbers of people who were interested in not only having the antibody testing, but also sharing their results with each other and others in the community, further encouraging vaccines for all.
The funding the Tri-CHIO received as incentives for hosting CATCH-UP events have so far assisted with a community-wide mental health and suicide awareness event, bringing in local mental health experts as well as showing the movie “The Ripple Effect” about an attempted suicide survivor’s story of how his decisions impacted many others in his life. The group was also supposed to hear from the subject of the documentary, Kevin Hines, but he caught COVID and was unable to attend the virtual presentation. The “Through the Darkness” event was able to provide information to approximately 50 mental health professionals, students, and other community members, and provide resources for mental health services as well as opportunities for the participants and others to have their antibodies tested. That event was held at Autry CareerTech in Enid, and many of the students and staff at Autry stopped by for testing, with almost 100 tests being performed that day! The CATCH-UP funding helped with the cost of the presentation for the day and a second event is being planned.
Many partnerships have been created or solidified due to the CATCH-UP activities. In the summer, The United Way of Northwest Oklahoma and the Enid Community Clinic (the community’s free clinic for the uninsured) created “Enid Dental Day,” partnering with Great Plains Dental, Enid Public Schools, CDSA, Great Salt Plains Health Center (the local Federally Qualified Health Center), the Tri-CHIO, and more came together to offer dental services, COVID antibody testing, COVID immunizations and flu immunizations, and consultations to people needing dental services in the community. The event had a great turn-out and another event was held in the fall. CATCH-UP activities have also been held at Central Christian Church at a “clinic” for antibody testing, as well as at the 4RKids fundraising walk to help support 4RKids, an entity that provides resources, services, and jobs for people with special needs. Partners provided space and booth space to host the testing events, marketing, and encouragement for participants.
One of the lessons learned for future events are to take more photos!!! In completing this report we realized that we need to take more pictures of the work that we do as an organization. Another lesson learned is to capture the testimonials at the time of the event so we have those.
Plans continue to potentially provide antibody testing in Alfalfa and Grant counties at community events. Several of the regularly scheduled events have been postponed due to rising cases of the Omicron COVID variant. However, the Tri-CHIO Board continues to look for opportunities to provide testing to the other communities in the service area.
Overall, the Tri-CHIO Board was please with the outcomes of the CATCH-UP Oklahoma project testing events. The Tri-CHIO looks forward to providing rural, Northwest Oklahomans with the opportunities to discover if their antibodies will help them fight COVID, or help them to make an informed decision about attaining the booster or visiting with their physicians about what their results mean for them.