Vaccinations are prepared for injection at Avamere Court earlier this year. As of March 29, adults 45 and older with underlying conditions are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccinations are now open to Oregon residents 45 and older with one or more health conditions that carry greater risk for severe infection.
Qualifying underlying conditions include: cancer, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Down syndrome, heart conditions, an immunocompromised state, obesity pregnancy, sickle cell disease and Type 2 diabetes.
The state’s ramped up vaccination schedule expanded eligibility to migrant and seasonal farm workers, seafood and agriculture workers, food processing workers, those in low-income senior housing, senior congregate housing, senior independent living, sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing houselessness, those displaced by wildfires, wildland firefighters and pregnant people 16 and older on Monday, March 29.
On Monday, April 5, vaccination eligibility will open to:
• All frontline workers as defined by the Centers for Disease control. A full listing of eligible frontline workers can be found at tinyurl.com/ORfrontline
• Individuals living in multigenerational households.
• Those ages 16-44 with one or more underlying health conditions.
Oregon is aiming to open vaccination to all residents 16 and older by May 1.
Since the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, more than 1.1 million Oregonians have received at least one dose. About half of that number have received full vaccination.
A study released March 29 showed that vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech were effective in preventing COVID-19 outside the boundaries of the earliest tests. The study followed nearly 4,000 health care workers, first responders, and other essential workers in eight U.S. locations.
There were 161 COVID infections in the unvaccinated workers and 16 in workers who had received one dose by the time of their infection. Two weeks after receiving both vaccine doses, the number of infections had been reduced to three.
In addition to the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, a single dose shot developed by Johnson & Johnson is being used throughout the nation. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one injection. It has been shown to significantly prevent severe COVID-19 infections as well as hospitalizations and deaths. Public health experts recommend taking advantage of whatever vaccine comes available first.
