On Monday, Oregon seniors age 80 and older will become eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but not all who want a vaccine will be able to get one next week. Demand for the vaccine exceeds the supply that is currently available in counties throughout the state. Oregon Governor Kate Brown addressed the issue during a press conference today.

“I want to thank our seniors for their patience thus far, and for their continued patience in the coming days and weeks. We are still managing a scarce resource. There will be hiccups in this process, but we are going to get through them. Signing up for an appointment will look different based on your community and your health care provider,” Gov. Brown said.

In Malheur County, eligible vaccine seekers currently have three options:

• Check appointment availability at their nearest Valley Family Health Care office.
• Check appointment availability at Saint Alphonsus-Ontario by calling (888) 578-2684 or using the online scheduler at https://saintalphonsus.inquicker.com/saint-alphonsus-regional-medical-center/discharge/laboratory-services.
• Attend a first-come, first-served vaccine clinic offered by the Malheur County Health Department/COVID-19 Taskforce. Scheduled clinics are posted on the MCHD events calendar.

“We are currently prioritizing the older adults in our community and will be scheduling a weekly opportunity for them to be vaccinated, as long as vaccine allocations continue,” MCHD Director Sarah Poe said.

The first vaccine clinic scheduled in Malheur County that will be open to those age 80+ based on age will take place inside the Four Rivers Cultural Center on Thursday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or as long as vaccines last. It is open to people in Phase 1a through 1b Group 2. Roughly 300 first doses of the Moderna vaccine will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no out-of-pocket cost for the vaccine. Administration fees will be billed to insurance when insurance is available. Attendees are asked to bring their insurance card(s) and wear a mask.

Attendees should use the south entrance of the cultural center, near the theater. The back parking lot, located between the cultural center and Treasure Valley Community College’s Weese Building, will provide the closest access. Several wheelchairs will be available for use. Although the event takes place indoors, participants will likely be required to stand in line outdoors for a period of time and are encouraged to dress according to the weather and be prepared to stand for a while. If standing is difficult, attendees can bring someone to stand in their place while they wait in a vehicle for their turn.

All Oregonians age 65 and older will be eligible for vaccination by March 1. They will be followed by frontline workers and people with underlying health conditions.

Starting Monday, the covidvaccine.oregon.gov site will include a new tool—Get Vaccinated Oregon— to help people determine eligibility and to sign up for email alerts and text notifications when they become eligible. Seniors living independently with questions can also call 2-1-1 for information. To help ensure the phone lines are running smoothly, Gov. Brown is deploying National Guard members to help staff the call center.

A copy of the governor’s prepared remarks from today’s press conference is available here.

A recording of today’s live-streamed press conference is available here.

Following Tuesday’s updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Gov. Kate Brown announced that Oregon will be expanding COVID-19 vaccination to include all individuals age 65 and older. However, this change will not happen immediately.

The federal government announced it would be releasing its full reserve of vaccines available to states, rather than holding some doses in storage. Vaccination of Oregon seniors – as well as child care providers and early learning and K-12 educators and staff – is scheduled to start on Jan. 23, when additional vaccine shipments are expected to begin arriving from the federal government.

“If you are an Oregonian who is newly eligible for vaccination, I am asking for your patience,” Gov. Brown said. “Please, do not call your doctor’s office or health care provider with questions about when you can be vaccinated. Today’s news arrived with no advance notice from the federal government. Oregon health care providers are working as fast as humanly possible to shift their vaccine distribution plans to meet this sudden change in national guidance.”

Malheur County Health Department Director Sarah Poe said plans to expand vaccine clinics are under way. “Our Malheur County team is ready to rise to the challenge to vaccinate as many people as possible, including our most vulnerable population. We are thankful for Governor Brown’s decision to allow counties to move as quickly as possible to reach everyone in our community.

MCHD will provide details on vaccine distribution plans for seniors and educators as those plans are finalized. Check our monthly events calendar for upcoming vaccine clinics and other public health-related events.