The Malheur County Health Department and Incident Command team will host an indoor COVID-19 vaccine POD (point of distribution) at the Four Rivers Cultural Center this Saturday, Jan. 30, beginning at 10 a.m. The POD is open to Phase 1a and Phase 1b-Group 1. Vaccine recipients must live or work in Malheur County.
Phase 1a is often referred to as the “health care” group, but it is not limited to people who work in a health care setting. Phase 1a also includes residents and staff in long-term care facilities; paid or unpaid caregivers, including parents or foster parents, of medically fragile children or adults who live at home; people who have a medical condition or disability who receive services in their home; and those who provide direct service to people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Statewide, Phase 1a includes about 400,000 people.
Phase 1b-Group 1 includes childcare providers, early learning and K-12 educators or staff. Statewide, this group includes about 105,000 people.
Saturday’s POD will distribute 300 first doses of the Moderna vaccine on a first-come, first-served basis. The vaccination event will go until about 2 p.m., or as long as vaccines last. There is no out-of-pocket cost for the vaccine. Administration fees will be billed to insurance; please bring your insurance card(s). You are also asked to wear a mask.
The Four Rivers Cultural Center is located at 676 SW 5th Ave. in Ontario. Please use the south entrance of the cultural center, near the theater. The back parking lot, located between the cultural center and TVCC’s Weese Building, will provide the closest access. Several wheelchairs will be available for use. Although the event will take place indoors, participants will likely be required to wait in line outdoors for a period of time. Please be prepared for cold weather and snow on the ground.
We previously posted information about ways to schedule a vaccine appointment with other local health care providers, but that information is no longer accurate. We will share updates as they become available.
Malheur County Health Department 
After reading your post, I called Valley Family and they told me that they are only taking their own patients and they do not have any available vaccines right now. Then I followed your directions to set up an appointment at St. AL’s and only the one at the Fruitland Plaza is making appointments and you have to live in Idaho. It seems you are giving out incorrect information. Also I do not understand why we cannot go to Idaho to get the vaccines. I live in Oregon but all of my doctors are in Idaho. I think we need better information to get out to the public.
Hi Charlene, thank you for sharing your experiences with us. With limited vaccine available, it can be difficult to to keep posted information timely and accurate. We will look into the status with both of these health care partners and update our online information as needed.
I understand that there is a shortage of vaccines and the state of Oregon is opened now up to 1a/1b. I see the opening of the POD at the Cultural Center, however it doesn’t make it easy for the 90 yo residents of Malheur Co, to go wait in a line to get their vaccination. Called the St. Als number for Ontario, and they are not scheduling yet for this age group. Is there a thought of sending visiting medical staff out to the elderly to distribute the vaccines?
Hi Lisa, thank you for reaching out. Saint Al’s has not yet shared information with us on scheduling vaccine appointments for people age 80+, who become eligible for vaccine beginning the week of Feb. 7. There is not currently a program in place to make vaccine visits to people’s homes, and we agree that waiting in line is not a feasible option for many people in that group. As you stated, vaccine is limited and availability can change quickly. We will continue to share vaccine information as it becomes available to us and update information as needed.
I agree with Charlene Pelland. I went thru the same channels that Charlene did. It seems the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.
Hi Howard. Thanks for letting us know. At the time of the post, appointments were available at both locations. Those appointments are now booked. Demand for the vaccine far exceeds availability. We will continue to do our best to inform you of opportunities to be vaccinated in Malheur County.