How to get a COVID vaccine in Oregon
As of Feb. 22, everyone in Phase 1A and groups one, two, three and four of Phase 1B are 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 70 and older
Oregon introduced an online tool that allows eligible residents of Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Marion and Columbia counties to sign up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. The eligibility tool is open to everyone in Oregon to use and ask questions.
Another helpful resource is 211. People can call 211 and ask to be transferred to the reservation call center. Operators will determine eligibility, then book a time to receive the vaccination. People can also text ORCOVID to 898211 to get text/SMS updates or email ORCOVID@211info.org.
Oregon unveils new timeline for COVID-19 vaccination eligibility
Oregonians 45 and older who have underlying health conditions will be the next group eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, starting March 29, and all Oregonians 16 and older will be eligible to receive the vaccine by July 1.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and state health officials announced the new timelines for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility during a briefing Friday morning.
'They'll contact you': Oregon changes vaccination scheduling process for Portland metro area
The sign-up process for COVID-19 vaccination in the Portland metro area will change yet again on Monday. Rather than hundreds of thousands of people scrambling to find thousands of appointments, eligible people will be notified when a dose is available for them. During a briefing with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Friday, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Director Patrick Allen acknowledged the difficulty seniors and their families have had securing appointments to receive the vaccine.
Oregon's scheduling website has crashed and not functioned properly, a major source of frustration for many Oregonians. On Thursday alone, the sign-up site saw 400,000 attempts at vaccine appointments.
Front-line workers with health conditions react to new Oregon vaccination timeline
With the new announcement that Oregon will begin prioritizing people with underlying health conditions and people who are front-line essential workers, some in those groups have mixed reactions.
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, which represents tens of thousands of grocery workers in Oregon, said Gov. Kate Brown's announcement about the vaccine priority timeline "once again abandoned these workers to the back of the line."
FDA panel to review Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID vaccine
Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine offers strong protection against severe COVID-19, according to an analysis by U.S. regulators Wednesday that sets the stage for a final decision on a new and easier-to-use shot to help tame the pandemic. The Food and Drug Administration’s scientists confirmed that overall the vaccine is about 66% effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, and about 85% effective against the most serious illness. The agency also said J&J's shot — one that could help speed vaccinations by requiring just one dose instead of two — is safe to use.
That’s just one step in the FDA’s evaluation of a third vaccine option for the U.S. On Friday, the agency’s independent advisers will debate if the evidence is strong enough to recommend the long-anticipated shot. Armed with that advice, FDA is expected to make a final decision within days.
VERIFY: Yes, you should get a COVID-19 vaccine even if you’ve tested positive for antibodies
We’re still a long way from herd immunity, but there is reason to be optimistic about the trajectory of the pandemic.
Still, questions remain about who should get vaccinated and why.
Viewer Glen recently emailed the VERIFY team seeking clarity on he and his wife’s situation. He wrote, “My wife and I both had COVID and we tested positive for 7 weeks, finally we both tested negative and a week later the good news is that we both tested “positive” for antibodies. Is it recommended that we still get the vaccine if we are still positive with the antibodies?”
VERIFY: Having a medical condition does not guarantee COVID-19 vaccine eligibility
Several states have moved on to the next tier of their COVID-19 vaccination plan. But many people are wondering if they will get bumped up in the vaccination eligibility line if they have multiple medical or pre-existing conditions.
However, the answer isn’t uniform across the United States as it depends on which state you live in.
