Here's who is eligible for a COVID vaccine in Oregon
As of March 22, everyone in Phase 1A and groups 1-5 of Phase 1B is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Oregon. That includes:
- Health care workers and first responders
- Long-term care residents
- K-12 educators and school staff
- Child care providers
- People 65 and older
In addition, counties that attest to largely completing the vaccination of residents 65 and older may begin vaccinating the next eligible groups. Vaccinations may also begin for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in counties where they are currently already working.
Where to get a COVID vaccine in Oregon and Washington
From mass vaccination clinics to pharmacies to community clinics, KGW has compiled a list of where people can get the vaccine in Oregon and Southwest Washington, or how to sign up for it online. Appointment time slots have been filling up quickly, so please check scheduling portals often to secure a spot.
The sign-up process for COVID-19 vaccination in the Portland metro area changed March 1. Eligible people will be notified when a dose is available for them. The names of eligible people in the metro area will be gleaned from the Get Vaccinated Oregon database and sent to the state's partners at the Oregon Convention Center.
Oregon works to recruit bigger pharmacies for COVID vaccine rollout
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) says about 25,000 more doses of COVID-19 vaccine could be allocated per week to pharmacies around the state if more of them joined its state and federal partnership programs.
About 70% of smaller pharmacies are enrolled state pharmacy partners. OHA director Patrick Allen said the agency is working to recruit more, but that some are unable to join because of resource limitations.
He said the bigger challenge is with federal pharmacy partners, which currently sit at 62% participation.
'It's common sense': In vaccinating Portland's homeless, ambassadors will be key
After a number of counties advanced to Group 6 of Phase 1B this week, all of Oregon will expand vaccine eligibility to that group Monday. The group includes food processing workers, migrant and seasonal farm workers and, among others, Oregon’s homeless.
To allow for better accessibility, Multnomah County Health is partnering with a slew of nonprofits, including Street Roots, Outside In, Cascadia Behavioral Health and Wallace Portland. They'll help people experiencing homelessness sign up for appointments and get to them. When booking appointments, people can use the addresses of nonprofits.
22 Oregon counties expand vaccine eligibility early
Coos County became the latest county in Oregon to expand vaccinations ahead of the state’s timeline. There are now 22 counties that can vaccinate people in Group 6 of Phase 1B, who are set to be eligible for the vaccine statewide on March 29.
Oregon mistakenly invites 11,000 people to schedule COVID vaccine appointments
About 11,000 people were mistakenly emailed invitations to schedule vaccination appointments at the Oregon Convention Center even though they aren’t eligible for the vaccine until April 19, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) said Wednesday. All offered appointments will be honored, according to OHA.
Biden's administration announces another $10B to boost COVID vaccinations
The White House announced Thursday that it is dedicating another $10 billion to try to drive up vaccination rates in low-income, minority and rural enclaves throughout the country.
The effort, which is funded through the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package passed earlier this month, will include $6 billion in funding for community health centers to expand COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and other preventive health care for populations at higher risk for the virus.
AstraZeneca insists COVID vaccine 76% effective after US dispute
AstraZeneca insisted Wednesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is strongly effective even after counting additional illnesses in its disputed U.S. study, the latest in an extraordinary public rift with American officials.
In a late-night press release, AstraZeneca said it had recalculated data from that study and concluded the vaccine is 76% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, instead of the 79% it had claimed earlier in the week.