Today’s the day: details on senior vaccinations in Oregon

Oregon will begin vaccinating seniors this week. Joanne Rideout reports on options in Clatsop, Tillamook and Columbia counties.  

[Note: scroll down to bottom of story for how to get connected to vaccine resources in your county.]

Starting today, Oregon seniors 80 years and older are eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Starting now through the first week of March, seniors will become eligible to get shots, grouped by age. That’s about 700,000 Oregonians.

On Friday, the Clatsop County Health Department released information about senior vaccines, saying the county will receive just 200 doses this week for senior distribution. Supplies statewide are still tight, so some people may have to wait to get a shot until more vaccine arrives. The good news is that the Biden administration has told states they can expect 20 percent more vaccine now than in previous months.

Eligible local seniors who’ve filled out Clatsop County’s Vaccine Planning Survey will be contacted and given instructions on how to register for a vaccine clinic. Tillamook County residents can also go online to fill out a form so they can be contacted.

Additional clinics will be scheduled in coming weeks as supplies allow.

The timeline for senior vaccinations statewide is as follows:

This week, people 80 and older. The week of Feb 15, 75 and older, Beginning February 22nd, 70 and older, and beginning March 1st, 65 and older.

Officials say it could take several months to get all the people in this senior grouping vaccinated. But by April, frontline workers and others will likely become eligible for shots.

Governor Brown said in a press conference Friday that it has been about a year since the first case of COVID had been identified in Oregon, as the state passed the 2,000 mark in deaths from the coronavirus. However, she said Oregon is doing better than most of the country in infection and mortality rates.

Governor Kate Brown: “Oregon currently has the fourth lowest infection rate and mortality rate in the nation. And on the vaccine front, we are ranked 12^th in the nation for getting vaccine shots in arms.”

While vaccines will be allocated through county health resources in local communities, Oregonians can, beginning Monday, use an online tool on the Oregon COVID-19 Website called Get Vaccinated Oregon, to get information and find local vaccine events.

In Clatsop County, people who have not already done so should take the county’s online Vaccine Planning Survey. This gets you on the county’s list to be contacted about vaccine opportunities near you. You’ll find the survey on the county’s website. Click on COVID-19 Vaccine Survey.

And for additional vaccine info for Clatsop County residents, Google “Clatsop County Covid Vaccine Task Force” to connect to the latest task force update.

For Tillamook County seniors, go to the website for Tillamook County Community Health Centers, and click on 65+ Get My Vaccine. That link takes you to a form. Fill it out and the county will contact you about vaccine events when you’re eligible.

Columbia County residents should go to their county’s website and click on “COVID-19 Vaccination Interest  Form” to get notified about vaccine opportunities there.

I’m Joanne Rideout reporting.