Gov. Kate Brown, other officials defend vaccine rollout pace, priorities
(Update: Hospitals express doubts about governor's timeline)
Say they are keeping commitment to seniors, despite doses for educators
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Gov. Kate Brown and other state officials explained and defended the state’s vaccination priority and rollout during a Friday news conference, while noting the limited availability of doses here and nationwide have led to some difficult choices and public frustration.
“I’m using every single tool we have to get our children back in the classroom this school year,” Brown said, noting a recent study that shows staying in remote learning could result in substantial educational losses, especially in math, as well as the other impacts on families, working mothers and the like.
But she added, “I have prioritized protecting seniors since Day 1 of this response,” and noted that “Oregon is faring better than nearly every other state,” including the “second-lowest COVID infection rate among seniors in the country.”
The first dose has been completed for all seniors in nursing homes and long-term care who wanted it, Brown said during a news conference that also featured other health care officials, two teachers and a South Medford High School student, sharing their experiences.
There are more than 100,000 educators eligible for the vaccine in Phase 1B and nearly 800,000 seniors.
“If we vaccinated every senior first, the unfortunate, harsh reality is some educators would not get vaccinated this school year,” the governor said. “If we flip that, it puts a two-week delay in vaccinating seniors who live independently,” starting Feb. 8 with those 80 and older and expanding by 5-year downward increments each week after that.
Brown said she is “asking these seniors to hold tight and stay safe for just a few more weeks.”
“We are managing a scarce resource right now,” she said. “I wish -- I wish we had more vaccines to give.”
Rachael Banks, public health director with the Oregon Health Authority, noted some promising statistics, such as a drop in new cases, to the third-lowest rate in the nation, and fourth-lowest in overall case rate, while hospitalizations also have been declining since peaking in late December.
Despite more testing, there’s been a sharp drop in the positive test results as well, to 5.9 percent.
But last week, Oregon reported its record number of weekly deaths, at 195, breaking the record from the prior week, Banks said. She said 22 more deaths were in Friday’s report, for a total of 1,865, a “lagging indicator” as compared to the other data.
“Every state is grappling with the same fundamental problem, a shortage of vaccines,” Banks said. Despite what critics have said, Banks said the pace of Oregon’s rollout is “in line with or ahead’ of other states.”
Banks said the states that have opened up vaccinations wider, such as to all seniors, are either using up second doses, posing a risk of not having those needed doses, or promising doses to more people than they can deliver, resulting in confusion and frustration.
Officials said the details in the current timeline of vaccine rollout could speed up, with expanded eligibility, if more doses are made available -- or be delayed further, if the expected shipment numbers don't materialize.
Brown later told a reporter: "There are no easy answers here -- only difficult decisions."
As if to underscore that, here's a news release issued Friday afternoon by the Oregon Association of Hospitals & Health Systems:
HOSPITALS EXPRESS DOUBTS ABOUT GOVERNOR'S LATEST VACCINE PLAN
Adding teachers first will delay doses for seniors; with limited supply hospitals concerned the state can’t deliver on promises after raising hopes
Lake Oswego, Ore. – January 22, 2021 – The following is a statement from Becky Hultberg, President and CEO of the Oregon Association of Hospitals & Health Systems:
“We are deeply concerned that the Governor, by expanding eligibility to teachers and other school employees in addition to seniors aged 65 and older, is increasing demand for the vaccine far beyond available supply in some regions. Since the state does not control the vaccine supply, Oregonians are being asked to take it on faith that the state can keep to the Governor’s timeline.
In some regions of the state, supply can meet the demand. It is important that these areas are free to move ahead with their vaccination efforts. However, it is critical that all Oregonians understand that given current supply, some hospitals will be unable to meet the demand for vaccinations. Hospitals are constrained by the available supply and are obligated to focus on the Governor’s prioritized eligibility list.
Some regions of the state have not completed vaccinating the Phase 1(a) population, but beginning next week the majority of supply will go to teachers. It will take several weeks to get through teachers in the Portland metro area based on current supply, and that does not include vaccinating the remainder of Phase 1(a). Adding 80-year-olds on Feb. 8 and then other age bands in the weeks after that will compound this problem.
At 15,000 doses a week in the Portland metro area, we should all be honest about the fact that there will be significant wait times for vaccines and that completing our efforts will take many, many months unless supply increases.
Setting unreasonable expectations will not speed up vaccinations but will lead to confusion on the part of Oregon seniors, and will increase the operational burden borne by hospitals tasked with explaining to those who believe they have a place in line that they will have to wait even longer.
If you are in a prioritized population in February in the Portland metro area, it is likely you will not get a vaccination for weeks, or maybe even months, after the date you are prioritized. If you have concerns or challenges in scheduling, please do not call hospitals. We are doing the best we can with the supply we have and following the directives from the Oregon Health Authority and the Governor’s Office.
Our hospitals and community partners have made great strides in creating vaccine programs from scratch with virtually no state or federal help, including funding. We are concerned that the current plans will add stress and potential chaos to these efforts as facilities are inundated with anxious residents seeking the vaccine.”
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About OAHHS: Founded in 1934, OAHHS is a statewide, nonprofit trade association that works closely with local and national government leaders, business and citizen coalitions, and other professional health care organizations to enhance and promote community health and to continue improving Oregon’s innovative health care delivery system.
Gov. Brown's news release:
Governor Kate Brown Provides Updates on COVID-19 in Oregon
(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown held a press conference today to update Oregonians on the status of COVID-19 vaccinations in Oregon, particularly as they relate to seniors and educators. The Governor was joined by Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Public Health Director Rachael Banks, OHA Chief Financial Officer Dave Baden, Kaiser Permanente Northwest Chief Operating Officer Wendy Watson, 2021 Oregon Teacher of the Year Nicole Butler-Hooton (Irving Elementary), Regional Teacher of the Year Mayra Pelayo (Aiken Elementary), and South Medford High School Student—and member of the Governor's Healthy Schools Reopening Council— Yosalin Arenas Alvarez.
"I have prioritized protecting seniors since day one of this response and, as a result, Oregon is faring better than nearly every other state in the nation in protecting vulnerable seniors," said Governor Brown. "Oregon has the second lowest COVID-19 infection rate among seniors in the country, and the third lowest death rate among people 65 and older. Just this past week, we completed first dose vaccinations for all seniors living in nursing homes who wanted the vaccine.
"I first made the commitment at the end of last year to vaccinate Oregon’s educators and school staff, and I reaffirmed that commitment last week. Educators can be vaccinated quickly, district by district. This choice represents a rapid action that will have an outsized impact on Oregon kids. If we were to vaccinate every Oregon senior first, the harsh reality is that many of our educators would not get vaccinated this school year—and Oregon kids would continue to suffer.
"If we were to reverse that, and prioritize the needs of Oregon kids, it puts a two-week delay on beginning vaccinations for seniors who live independently. I know so many Oregon grandparents are happy to hold out just two more weeks in an effort to help get their grandchildren back into the classroom as quickly and safely as possible.
"I also know there are many Oregonians who are eager to get the vaccine. The harsh reality is we are managing a scarce resource right now. Time and time again this pandemic has forced difficult choices. And even in tough times, I continue to be inspired by the extraordinary ways Oregonians lift one another up and work together."
A copy of the Governor's prepared remarks from today's press conference is available here.
A recording of today's live-streamed press conference is available here.
More information on vaccines is available at covidvaccine.oregon.gov.
