PORTLAND, Ore. — On Friday the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) released its recommendations for who will be first to receive new COVID-19 vaccinations in the state.
Vaccines will be distributed based on "equity, individual, environmental and activity factors that put people more at risk for contracting or spreading the virus or experiencing serious health consequences from the virus," according to an OHA press release.
The first round of the rollout, which the state is calling Phase 1a, is focused on four groups:
Group 1: Health care providers and residents at hospitals; urgent care; skilled nursing and memory care facilities; tribal health programs; emergency medical services providers and other first responders.
Group 2: Health care providers and residents at other long-term care facilities and congregate care sites; hospice programs; mobile crisis care and related services; individuals working in a correctional setting; personnel of group homes for children or adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Group 3: Outpatient settings serving specific high-risk groups; in home care; day treatment services; non-emergency medical transportation.
Group 4: Health care personnel working in other outpatient and public health settings.
OHA explained that the individuals or settings shown within each of the above groups are not listed in any particular order, but are intended to be concurrent "as logistics and vaccine dose availability allow."
OHA estimated that 300,000 to 400,000 people will have access to COVID-19 vaccination during Phase 1a. The state did not provide a timeline for the estimated completion of Phase 1a.
Beyond that, OHA’s Vaccine Advisory Committee will recommend the next doses be distributed to groups including critical workers, people with underlying health conditions and those older than 65.
The general population isn’t expected to be eligible for vaccination until sometime in spring 2021.
On Thursday, after a three-day stretch saw 123 COVID-19 deaths in the state, the CDC announced that next week's vaccine allocation for Oregon and Washington had been reduced by 40%. The governors of both states said no explanation was given.
