Gov. Brown, OHA offer some good Christmas week news on COVID-19 status, vaccines
State hasn't seen post-Thanksgiving surge, vaccinations under way - but feds again trim expected dose numbers
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Gov. Kate Brown and Oregon Health Authority officials shared some good pre-Christmas news on Tuesday, from the arrival of thousands of doses of two COVID-19 vaccines to no signs of a post-Thanksgiving surge in cases.
But it wasn't all rosy.
They also said reduced federal vaccine shipments from earlier numbers, if they continue, could delay the vaccine rollout to other segments of the population, including school staff crucial in the effort to reopen schools.
Brown and others, including OHA Director Patrick Allen, did not paint an overly rosy picture of the situation, as the pandemic has claimed more than 1,300 lives in Oregon, with cases well over 100,000, also repeatedly noting the toll it has taken emotionally, financially and economically on so many.
“You are in my thoughts,” the governor said. “I know it hasn’t been an easy year.”
But the start of Pfizer and Moderna vaccinations of health care workers and long-term care residents and staff have brought new hope, they said, that the tide can be turned in coming weeks and months.
Brown again thanked Oregonians who continue to help curb the spread through the very familiar actions, from mask-wearing and hand-washing to social distancing and limiting the size of their gatherings.
“Step by step, we are making progress in fighting this virus,” Brown said, adding that the evidence is showing the recent two-week “freeze” and safety measures “blunted the virus surge we were all dreading as we entered the thanksgiving holiday. … Thanks to the decisions you and the majority of Oregonians are continuing to make, we are slowing the spread of the disease.”
“This is proof that we determine how the next few months play out, while we work to distribute the COVID vaccine far and wide, across the state,” she said, urging Oregonians to rethink their Christmas and New Year’s plans.
She also cited the good news from Capitol Hill, passage of a $900 billion COVID relief package, and the $800 million set aside in Monday’s special session of the Oregon Legislature, along with extending the eviction moratorium and more support for restaurants and bars.
An advisory committee on immunization practices, now being formed from among more than 650 applicants, will help determine who gets the vaccines next, in so-called “Phase 1B.”
Brown assured that teachers, school staff, child care providers and early learning educators “must be at the top of the list for the next round of vaccines. Our kids need to know they’re No. 1, and we’re doing everything we can to get them back into our classrooms.”
OHA’s Allen laid out that based on the latest federal information, Oregon expects 92,625 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 97,100 doses of the Moderna vaccine by the end of the month (and year).
The allocations are likely to change, he said, but “we want as much vaccine as possible, as soon as we can get it.”
However, this week, Allen said, the state learned that once again, the expected Pfizer vaccines would be cut 30,000 doses and Moderna by 7,000 doses, because federal partners have changed their allocations.
“We have to be prepared for months of limited supply,” Allen said, but the state hopes that will “ease up” as more vaccines are approved.
He said that’s why the state has been reluctant to provide a timeline of when others will get the vaccine. “This has been a challenge throughout the pandemic,” he said, including federal distribution of personal protective equipment earlier in the year that didn’t match what was initially promised.
People over 75 are among the top priorities, Allen said, but "this may be a while."
"I'm not saying people who are over 75 are lumped into the general population. We do have a priority for the elderly and for people with underlying medical conditions.
"But until we have some sort of reliable supply that we can predict, week in and week out, it is going to be impossible for us to say, is it going to be two months from now or is it going to be six months from now?" Allen said.
I know that doesn't satisfy anybody, but that's the reality of where these numbers sit right now."
At this point, he said, the state doesn’t know if the doses received or that are on the way soon are a “stockpile built up over time, or regular production, week by week.”
Asked about Monday’s violence at the state Capitol, Brown said she supports Oregonians’ rights to peacefully protest, but that the violence is “absolutely unacceptable” and “resolves nothing.”
The governor said the state will be examining the details of the federal relief legislation, to see if it can “backfill” some of the state dollars that would go toward vaccination support, “and we can turn those resources to help vulnerable Oregonians whose businesses are struggling. We’ll be working out details in the next couple of weeks.”
Along with more funding to prepare for students back in class, Brown said the state is “working hard to expand testing and contact tracing capabilities for schools across the state.”
While asking OHA to prioritize school personnel “at the top of the list” for Phase 1B, and assuring she considers the school and child care personnel in the critical category, she also said the vaccines are on a voluntary basis, and noted that children have not been tested with either of the two initial vaccines.
News release:
Governor Kate Brown Provides Updates on COVID-19 in Oregon
Governor reminds Oregonians to continue following safety measures and re-think holiday plans
(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown held a press conference today to update Oregonians on the status of COVID-19 in Oregon, as well as the outcome of Monday's special session of the Oregon Legislature. The Governor was joined by Patrick Allen, Director of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and Rachael Banks, OHA Public Health Division Director.
"Thanks to the decisions the majority of Oregonians continue to make, we are slowing the spread of COVID-19," said Governor Brown. "And while our case counts are still up, we are avoiding many worst-case scenarios. This is proof that we determine how the next few months play out while we work to swiftly distribute the COVID-19 vaccine far and wide. So as we did with Thanksgiving, I ask you to once again re-think your Christmas and New Year’s plans.
"And in more good news, I called for a special session because it’s absolutely critical we get help to Oregonians who have made the necessary sacrifices to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The $800 million relief package our state legislature approved just yesterday, coupled with a long-awaited $900 billion stimulus package from Congress, will be an enormous lifeline for Oregonians who have suffered so much. It will help carry us through the coming months as we continue to gain traction with our vaccine campaign."
More information on vaccines is available at covidvaccine.oregon.gov.
A copy of the Governor's remarks is available here.
A recording of today's live-streamed press conference is available here.
