PORTLAND, Ore. — A drive-thru mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic opened at Portland International Airport (PDX) on Thursday.
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), the Red Cross and the Port of Portland partnered to launch the clinic, which will be located in the red economy parking lot of PDX.
An OHSU spokesperson said vaccinations will currently be administered by invitation only for Phase 1a community members as vaccines are available.
"As part of our commitment to increase access to difficult to reach groups, we are starting with SEIU 503 [union members] and independent home health care workers, and individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. We plan to expand access, under the state’s direction and as vaccine supply allows," said OHSU spokesperson Tamara Hargens-Bradley.
OHSU is overseeing eligibility determination, registration, staff coordination and vaccine administration at the PDX clinic. The Port of Portland will coordinate on-site logistics and is providing the site at no cost to OHSU. The Red Cross will provide volunteer support.
This is the latest large-scale vaccination clinic to open in the state.
OHSU, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Legacy Health and Providence Health & Services are operating a mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Oregon Convention Center. Kaiser launched the effort Wednesday and will be joined by the other health care systems on Monday.
Salem Health and the Oregon National Guard have been conducting a vaccination clinic at the State Fairgrounds.
The clinics at the Oregon Convention Center and the State Fairgrounds are supposed to be for people in Oregon's Phase 1a group, though dozens of people outside the 1a category have reached out to KGW or posted on social media that they've been able to get the vaccine in Salem, too.