PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) on Wednesday announced that Lane County has joined 20 other Oregon counties allowed to expand who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Approval came after the counties submitted attestation letters to the state saying they were ready to add more people to the eligibility pool.
The 21 counties in Oregon that can begin vaccinating people listed in Phase 1B, Group 6 of the state’s vaccination plan are: Baker, Benton, Deschutes, Douglas, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Morrow, Polk, Sherman, Umatilla, Union and Yamhill.
The people in Group 6 of Phase 1B include the following:
- Adults ages 45 to 64 with one or more underlying condition with increased risk.
- Migrant and seasonal farm workers
- Seafood and agricultural workers
- Food processing workers
- People living in low-income, senior congregate and independent living facilities
- Sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing houselessness
- People displaced by wildfires
- Wildland firefighters
- Pregnant women 16 and older
Those groups will become eligible for the coronavirus vaccine statewide on March 29.
A representative for OHA said people who qualify for Group 6 but don't live in one of the 20 counties can still make an appointment to get vaccinated in one of the counties that has advanced.
"Oregonians do not have restrictions based on their home address where they may be eligible to schedule a vaccination appointment, once they become eligible to receive a vaccination," said Rudy Owens, public affairs specialist with the OHA.
OHA said the state’s Get Vaccinated Oregon tool is being updated to accommodate the new people eligible for vaccination.