Deschutes County COVID-19 vaccine first doses double, to nearly 8,200 next week
(Update: Adding video, KTVZ.COM Poll)
Residents urged to pre-register online or call hotline for help
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Health Authority has allocated 8,190 first-dose COVID-19 vaccines to Deschutes County for next week, more than double the number seen in previous weeks, as state and federal shipments ramp up, officials said Friday.
Vaccine appointments will be scheduled using the region’s new vaccine pre-registration system. Invitations to schedule vaccine appointments will be sent to eligible residents who have pre-registered, starting Friday. Additional appointment invitations will be sent on Sunday and later in the week.
Residents are encouraged to pre-register now at www.centraloregoncovidvaccine.com. Pre-registration is open to all residents, even those who are not currently eligible to receive a vaccine. Those who pre-register will be contacted by email and text with a link to schedule their vaccine appointment when they are eligible and a dose is available for them.
“Next week, we’re able to offer twice as many vaccine appointments to eligible residents due to increased vaccine supply from the state,” said Molly Wells-Darling, Deschutes County deputy incident commander. “We encourage all residents to pre-register for their vaccine. We want to make sure we have enough eligible residents signed up to fill all of our available appointments for next week.”
Residents who are unable to pre-register online can call (541) 699-5109 for assistance. Staff are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends. Please be prepared to wait on hold or call back, as this line is experiencing high call volumes. Individuals who pre-register by phone will receive a call to schedule their vaccine appointment when a vaccine is available for them.
The Oregon Health Authority reports that 81% of Deschutes County residents 65 and older have received at least their first COVID-19 vaccine. This includes 87% of those 80 or older, 97% of those 75-79, 84% of those 70-74 and 68% of those 65-69 years old.
Nearly 4,000 residents will receive second-dose vaccines at the mass vaccination clinic next week.
Local Pharmacy Vaccine Availability
Some pharmacies in Central Oregon are offering the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible groups through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination. There will not be enough vaccines to vaccinate all eligible Oregonians at these locations, due to the limited supply. Appointment availability changes frequently. Appointments may be available by visiting https://vaccinefinder.org.
Federally Qualified Health Centers
Mosaic Medical is providing limited vaccine appointments to patients who meet expanded eligibility criteria. Current Mosaic Medical patients may visit: https://www.mosaicmedical.org/covid-19-vaccine-scheduling.shtml.
La Pine Community Health Center Clinic is providing limited vaccine appointments to patients who meet eligibility requirements. Staff will contact eligible patients to schedule vaccination appointments.
Vaccine eligibility
For the week of March 22, eligible groups include:
- Phase 1B, Group 6
- Adults 65 and older
- Phase 1B, Group 1
- Phase 1A
Central Oregonians in Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties can pre-register for the vaccine online at www.centraloregoncovidvaccine.com.
To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine in Central Oregon
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