Here's who is eligible for a COVID vaccine in Oregon
As of March 1, 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
- Childcare providers
- People 65 and older
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.
Moderna begins COVID-19 vaccine trial for young children
Drugmaker Moderna announced on Tuesday it has kicked off a mid-to-late stage COVID-19 vaccine trial for children under the age of 12.
The company said in a press release that the first participants in its Phase 2/3 study, called the KidCOVE study, have been given their first dose. The goal is to test if the vaccine candidate would protect children ages 6 months to less than 12 years from getting sick with COVID-19.
Tigard retirement community holds vaccine clinic
Residents at Summerfield Estates in Tigard were able to get the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday. According to the guidance from the Oregon Health Authority, these adult care facilities were supposed to be in the first group of vaccinations. Stephen Eatmen, who works at Summerfield Estates, said independent living facilities are were not given the same vaccine priority as nursing homes or assisted living communities.
Multnomah County health expert weighs in on reopening, in-person learning
Gov. Kate Brown wants all Oregon schools to reopen with at least some in-person learning by April 19. Multnomah County Deputy Public Health Officer Dr. Ann Loeffler believes it is the right call.
“I’m a big proponent of safely getting everybody back into the classroom. There are certainly lots of students who have suffered using remote learning, virtual learning, and it’s super important that everyone be kept safe,” Dr. Loeffler said. “So, whether that’s the vaccinations for the teachers and staff, masking, testing available; all of those things that around the country and around the world have shown to make it possible to open schools safely. There’s lot of strong data around that.”
Oregon tribes say they have enough vaccine, but many members are skeptical
We reached out to Oregon's nine major tribes to check in on how they are doing with COVID-19 vaccinations. We wanted to know if the state or federal government were giving them enough supplies.
We heard back from four of the nine, and a common theme was that the tribes were receiving enough vaccine for all of their members, and then some. But they still have to deal with historical attitudes of distrust for the medical system.
VERIFY: AstraZeneca still recommended and being tested as blood clot reports are investigated
News outlets across the world are reporting the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine’s distribution is being paused in several countries because of blood clots. That can be alarming to read, but that doesn’t actually mean that the vaccine is causing blood clots and it doesn’t change anything in the United States.