Meteorologists are predicting that several inches of snow and freezing rain could fall in the Portland area from Thursday to Saturday – and that could harm thousands of COVID-19 vaccination appointments that seniors 80 and older were lucky enough to book in the early days. since becoming eligible.
Operators at the two mass vaccination sites in the Portland area said on Wednesday that they are following the forecast closely. But they still could not say whether the commitments would be postponed or canceled.
“We are developing plans to deal with any impact on patients’ vaccination schedules,” said a statement from the four major health care providers who run Portland’s vaccination sites. “As decisions are made, we will be communicating (with) them; as of now, no changes have been made to any appointments or schedules. “
The operations of the sites have also failed to answer some other big questions that weigh on the minds of the elderly: if the snow forces the cancellation of their appointments, will they have guaranteed a new schedule? Or will they find themselves competing again for a very limited number of nominations among the masses?
Some seniors who made their first appointments this week spent a few hours online or on hold with 211 on Monday. Many more were unsuccessful before all appointments ended. They plan to try again the next day. Appointments are open for reservation. Authorities have not yet said when this will happen.
The National Meteorological Service predicts that probably 3 to 6 inches of snow will cover the region starting on Thursday night. Some forecasting models predict twice as much.
The possibility of freezing rain can also worsen road conditions – just as several hundred elderly people are scheduled to arrive at the Oregon Convention Center in the next few days and 4,500 are planning to take their first photos at the local Portland International Airport drive-through on Saturday and Sunday.
It is unclear how badly the worst scenario of three to four days of canceled appointments would complicate matters. As of Monday, it is estimated that 168,000 seniors aged 80 and over have become eligible for vaccination – with the first appointments in the Portland area starting on Wednesday. Next Monday, up to 133,000 seniors between the ages of 75 and 79 will be eligible to make appointments and receive vaccines – meaning that competition for a small amount of vaccine will only intensify. State officials have yet to say how many doses they hope to deliver to these elderly residents.
Of course, slippery roads can disrupt the vaccination plans of thousands of other people – health professionals and others who are part of phase 1a and educators who are still trying to get vaccinated two to eight weeks after their eligibility starts. Over the next week, more than 6,800 doses have been scheduled for phase 1a recipients and 3,900 for educators in the Portland area. A total of 5,500 doses were reserved for seniors in the Portland area aged 80 and over until next Tuesday.
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– Aimee Green; [email protected]; @o_aimee