Oregon will expand its growing line for the COVID-19 vaccine to include family members of grocery workers, transit operators and other frontline workers.
Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Health Authority officials on Friday also said the state will open the floodgates for vaccine appointments for those aged 16 and over who have an expanded list of underlying health conditions, as defined by the Centers Disease Control and Prevention – including smokers and ex-smokers, merely overweight and non-obese people, type 1 diabetics, people with hypertension and many other conditions.
The state has acknowledged that it does not know how many unvaccinated people are included in this expanded group, nor does it have estimates of how many people identify themselves as frontline workers or are in these families. Some people may have already been vaccinated due to other qualifying factors.
As of Friday, 28% of all Oregon residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, just below the national average. Oregon totally vaccinated 17% of its more than 4 million inhabitants, slightly above the national average.
Expanding qualified health conditions “protects communities that face the greatest risk,” said the state health official, noting that people of color are more likely to have certain health conditions that increase the likelihood of adverse health outcomes if contract the virus.
Brown said it is important to expand the vaccine line to bring the families of frontline workers, in part because transportation is often a barrier to access to vaccines. “If you are a frontline worker making an effort, get your family together and do everything together,” she said.
Patrick Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority, said that frontline workers are disproportionately people of color and their families are also at greater risk because of their proximity to loved ones.
“The family transmission short circuit protects loved ones from vulnerable frontline workers and, in turn, helps prevent the virus from being transmitted to the workplace by exposed frontline workers at home” Allen said at a news conference on Friday.
The increase in eligibility comes at a time when the state is approaching what Brown warned could be the “fourth wave of the virus” on our doorstep.
Here’s what else you need to know.
What is the expanded list of health conditions that qualify?
Here’s what the state posted on Friday:
– cancer
– Chronic kidney disease
– Chronic lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma (moderate to severe), interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension
– Dementia or other neurological conditions
– Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
– Down’s syndrome
– Heart problems (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension
– HIV infection
– Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)
– Liver disease
– Overweight and obesity (defined as body mass index, or BMI, greater than 25 kg / m2)
– Pregnancy
– Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
– Smoking, current or previous
– Transplantation of solid organ or blood stem cells
– Stroke or cerebrovascular disease
– Substance use disorder
Who is the frontline worker?
The state’s qualifications use CDC guidelines, which include grocery stores and retail workers, community college and university employees, the US postal service, transit officials, news media, legal officers, elected officials and government officials, employees food service and more. Here is the complete list.
I know people who work in retail and are already taking a chance in Oregon. Are some municipalities already vaccinating these workers?
Yes. Twenty-three of Oregon’s 36 counties are already vaccinating frontline workers and people aged 16 to 44 with some health conditions (Baker, Benton, Coos, Clatsop, Crook, Deschutes, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney , Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lake, Lane, Lincoln, Malheur, Marion, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union and Wheeler on Friday). Beginning April 5, the remaining 13 counties, including the three counties area, will begin scheduling frontline workers who are eligible for their vaccines. People aged 45 and over with qualifying conditions are already eligible.
I have type 1 diabetes, I am 42 years old and I live in Lane County. What is my situation?
You would be eligible to get a vaccine appointment immediately, since you are a member of group 7 on the state’s vaccination plan, which includes frontline workers and those aged 16 to 44 with underlying diseases who have already were eligible in the counties listed above. The recently expanded underlying conditions described on Friday include type 1 diabetics, so book now.
About me? I’m in the same boat as the person above, but I live in Washington County.
You will be eligible on April 5, when your county is scheduled to move to younger people with underlying conditions and frontline workers.
Wait, if it’s important to stop transmission, why can’t I get my vaccine too? I am healthy, but do I live with a person with these underlying health conditions? Can I have my chance now?
No you can not. The state has not explained why these family members would not be eligible, although recognizing that family transmission is the main source of dissemination. During the press conference, Brown was asked why she did not open eligibility for all residents, which she said was a good question. She said the focus remains on those at high risk, which is a good way to target frontline workers. She also noted that Oregon is not getting enough vaccine per capita, a factor highlighted by The Oregonian / OregonLive Friday. “We are going to move heaven and earth to make sure we get our fair share,” said Brown, adding that the state has a good relationship with the Biden government.
What does this mean for all Oregon residents? I’m healthy, I don’t have any of these conditions, but I still want my vaccine.
Patrick Allen said that despite some uncertainties about vaccine distribution due to the “disruption” of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pipeline, the state still intends to give counties the option to proceed with vaccinating all adults aged 16 and over until April 26th. Oregon remains committed to its timeline in which all residents of the state of Oregon would be eligible for a vaccine appointment until May 1.
Does this mean that we are doing very well in vaccinating everyone so far?
Not necessarily. Oregon is increasingly concerned, in particular, about vaccination rates in some rural counties. Although the state vaccination rate for people aged 65 and over is just under 70%, it is significantly lower in several counties. Allen said seven counties – Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Lake, Malheur, Morrow and Umatilla – vaccinated less than half of their elderly population.
I am 17 years old and my mother works for TriMet. How do I schedule my appointment?
State leaders were a little vague about the details, just noting that “multiple appointments can be scheduled” through the Get Vaccinated Oregon portal. Allen said these family members must submit their information to the state’s database, where residents are contacted when they are eligible.
Oregon Health Authority officials said updates to the getvaccinatedoregon.gov website are taking place for the transition, although it was not immediately clear when the changes would take place.
Oregon residents can also schedule appointments through pharmacies and local health agencies in many counties. Here is the website with more information.
– Andrew Theen; [email protected]; 503-294-4026; @andrewtheen