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What you need to know about COVID-19 vaccines in Oregon Tuesday

20 Oregon counties moved up their vaccine timelines. Here are the top vaccine facts for Tuesday, March 23.

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.

Latest COVID-19 vaccine news

20 Oregon counties approved to expand COVID vaccinations

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on Tuesday announced seven more counties can expand who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement comes a day after OHA said 13 counties could move ahead with more people being eligible for the vaccine.

There are now 20 counties in Oregon that can begin vaccinating people listed in Phase 1B, Group 6 of the state’s vaccination plan. They are: Baker, Benton, Deschutes, Douglas, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lincoln, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Morrow, Polk, Sherman, Umatilla, Union and Yamhill.

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More people can administer COVID vaccine in Oregon

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on Tuesday announced it has expanded the list of people who can administer COVID-19 vaccines. The expansion is permitted under federal policy.

The newly eligible people who can now administer COVID-19 vaccines include a long list of health professionals who are currently licensed, certified or registered or had an active license, certification or registration within the last five years. Health care students in numerous fields of study can also give the vaccine.

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Policies vary over leftover COVID vaccine doses

What happens to leftover vaccine doses, and how can you get one? It's a popular question these days and the short answer is, it varies.

“We do have people looking for that last-minute vaccine that may be going to waste if nobody uses it,” said Pat Hubbell, pharmacist and owner of Brooklyn Pharmacy in Southeast Portland.

Hubbell said his pharmacy typically has around four extra vaccine doses at the end of the day. To find last-minute takers, they have a waiting list that’s two weeks deep.

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Smaller counties in Southwest Washington on par with vaccinations

From ocean beaches to the wooded Columbia River Gorge, Southwest Washington covers a lot of ground. In many ways, Clark County is the center of it all. Then there's Cowlitz, Skamania, Wahkiakum, Pacific and Lewis counties. People in those smaller counties have been dealing with the coronavirus, too. And with a recent drop in cases, they've doing better in most ways.

Vaccinations are a big part of the solution and Washington's smaller counties are on par with Clark County on a per capita basis, with 18- 20% of the population with at least one dose so far, according to Dr. Steven Krager, deputy health officer for all of Southwest Washington.

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