Oregon reached another milestone in the efforts to vaccinate Oregonians — more than 2 million people have received at least one dose of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the latest data, 2,006,179 people in Oregon have received at least one shot. Overall, 1,509,537 Oregonians have completed their series.
“Based on our current trends, Oregon is on track to meet our goal of vaccinating 70% of adults by mid- to late-June,” said Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Director Patrick Allen. “Thanks to all of our partners for helping us stay ahead of a virus that is circulating in our communities.”
If you’re looking for a vaccine, the Get Vaccinated Oregon (GVO) tool has been updated to improve accessibility. Read more about it on the OHA blog.
Governor Brown, OHA leadership discuss vaccination goals and reopening
Today, Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Director Patrick Allen talked about statewide vaccination targets, the County Risk Level framework and reopening the state’s economy. Here’s a summary of upcoming changes:
County Risk Level framework soon coming to an end
The County Risk Level framework will continue until 70% of people in Oregon ages 16 and older receive a first dose of a vaccine, at which point most of the restrictions laid out in the framework will be lifted.
Workshops will cover topics such as EV charging, batteries, range, cost, purchase incentives, and benefits of ownership. Attendees at these two workshops are eligible for discounts of $200 to $1,000 on purchases of new EVs at four participating local auto dealerships.
EVEVA is producing the workshops in partnership with the City of Eugene, the U of O Office of Sustainability, EWEB, and most of the other local electric utilities.
When wildfires burned through Oregon last fall, many people didn’t receive a local emergency alert or evacuation message, which left them scrambling to evacuate safely. State officials have since approved a new emergency alert system meant to fix that.
The system, called OR-Alert, would operate statewide, rather than in individual counties, ideally improving communication in the event of a disaster.
People have to opt-in to most local emergency alert systems currently. But this one would allow notifications to be sent out to devices automatically, including social media, text message and landline calls.
The system is expected to be available to all counties in the state and should be up and running by this summer.
Lane County ALERT ME! Sign up to receive emergency alerts and severe weather warnings that could directly impact you and your family.
The Lane County Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a comprehensive wildfire education and mitigation plan for the whole of Lane County. The 165 page plan was originally developed in 2005 but has been updated, most recently in 2019-2020. It includes extensive maps and analysis showing wildfire risk by region within the county and outlines 24 action items to help mitigate wildfire risk. It was developed in coordination with Oregon Department of Forestry, Lane County Emergency Management, Lane County Land Management Division, Lane County Fire Defense Board, Oregon State University Extension Service, Oregon State Fire Marshal, U.S. department of the Interior, and U.S. Forest Service. The information on wildfire risk and mitigation is for all of Lane County, urban as well as rural, but at present mitigation efforts are concentrated in the urban wildland interface and rural forested areas.
An Ember Awareness Checklist Poster: The poster informs landowners of where embers often pose serious risk during wildfire events. The checklist provides actions homeowners can take to reduce this risk. To view and download a high resolution PDF version visit here.
Survivable Space Poster: This poster was made for Lane County and details survivable space guidance on how to harden your home prior to wildfire season as well as evacuation levels used to notify landowners of impending incidents. This poster is on page 140 of the LCCWPP plan.
The LCCWPP is one more tool residents should be aware of as we move into wildfire season. It is extensive and well researched. The detailed table of contents makes finding information easy.
We need your help to decrease cases in Lane County.
Please help lower our risk level by limiting gatherings, wearing masks, washing your hands, maintaining physical distancing, staying home when sick and working with contact tracers when they contact you. As we shared last week; due to increasing numbers of cases of COVID-19 in Lane County, we will return to “High Risk” Level after the current “warning week” is over. “High Risk” requirements become effective is this Friday, April 23.
More information on the state guidance for risk levels and the process for counties moving between risk levels can be found here:
Each week more doses are available through pharmacies and more primary care providers begin offering vaccinations.
Another option is a Lane County Public Health vaccination clinic.
Lane County Public Health appointments are primarily scheduled through an online scheduling form. Scheduling for the majority of appointments opens on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the coming weekend.
Process to get an appointment (first or second dose) with Lane County for a COVID-19 Vaccination:
Click the “Schedule a Vaccine Appointment” button.
Select whether you are receiving a first or second dose, complete the screening questions and contact information.
Clinics may be available on multiple days in multiple locations. Please select the clinic closest to you. We ask that you reserve clinic appointments in rural areas for residents of those areas.
If you are in the process of scheduling and we run out of appointments, you will receive a red error message OR no dates or times will show up. This means there is nothing available for the options selected. We recommend you review the form pages to ensure everything entered is accurate. If all the information is accurate and there are still no dates showing up you will need to check back at a later time. Appointments are typically opened on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Once eligible you remain eligible and will be able to schedule an appointment as more become available.
What about the second dose?
If you get your first dose at a LCPH mass vaccine clinic, we will also take care of your second dose and you are not competing against others trying to schedule their first doses. You can use the same link to schedule a vaccine appointment to schedule your second dose and you do not need to wait for an email.
If you received your first dose from another provider and are not able to get your second dose from that provider you can schedule your second dose with Lane County Public Health using the same process outlined above. It is important that you receive the same brand for your second dose that you received for your first dose.
Please remember that there is only enough vaccine supply to vaccinate a small portion of eligible residents each week. Lane County will continue vaccinating as quickly as vaccine supply allows.
What if I want the Johnson & Johnson single dose?
On April 13, out of an abundance of caution, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement recommending a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine immediately while they review data involving six reported U.S. cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in women ages 18–48 after receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The below video includes Lane County Public Health Press Briefing content regarding the pause.
(updated weekdays (data below as of 4/20/2021 at 8:00 a.m.)
92,509:Fully Vaccinated 60,658:Have received first dose only 239,654:Total doses administered
49.54%: Percentage of Lane County ADULTS – who have received at least 1 dose. 29.92%: Percentage of Lane County ADULTS – FULLY vaccinated
Weekly Allocation Data – April 19-25, 2021
9,360: Vaccine Allocation Prime doses 10,220: Vaccine Allocation of Boost (2nd) doses
The data reported is direct from Oregon Health Authority’s database, current to the time it was pulled. Since the data is constantly being updated, numbers can vary. Total vaccinations refers to doses, while persons vaccinated is referring to the people who received doses. There is sometimes a delay in reporting of doses administered (meaning the vials of vaccine have been distributed) and the connection to the persons who received it. The percentage of fully vaccinated does refer to those who have received both doses.
If you want more information on vaccination statistics, please visit: OHA Data Page
Lane County Raised to High Risk Category – Begins Friday, April 23
Oregon’s Risk and Protection Framework uses data to help inform safety measures at the county level. Every two weeks, Governor Kate Brown’s office announces the revised risk status of each county based on current data. Lane County has been raised into the high risk category for the two-week period beginning April 23.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise again, it’s important to answer the call from contact tracers at Lane County Public Health. Keeping individuals informed of exposure is one of the many tools we can use to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Contact tracing calls come from a number beginning with 541-682-XXXX, and contact tracers will leave a message if the phone has a voicemail box.
Vaccines Available to Everyone Ages 16+
As of Monday, April 19, COVID-19 vaccines are available to everyone ages 16 and older in Oregon.
Lane County residents can schedule a vaccine appointment directly by visiting the Lane County COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics webpage. You can also schedule an appointment at one of many local pharmacy providers. See links to participating pharmacies. Take the first appointment available to you whether from Lane County, your primary care provider or your pharmacy.
Hear from Mayor Lucy Vinis about vaccinations and protecting our community.
Community Update Email Schedule Changing
Now that vaccines are available to everyone ages 16 and older, we will no longer send community update emails every two weeks. Lane County Public Health is the lead health agency in our area and we encourage you to check their COVID-19 website and social media pages for the most accurate information.
We’ve appreciated the opportunity to share the latest COVID-19 information to your email inbox as well as stories about community recovery. We will continue to share information on social media and will provide further updates as needed through email.
Check out these resources for COVID-19 information to keep yourself and your loved ones safe:
A representative survey of Eugeneans conducted late last year reveals that while the pandemic has significantly impacted our community emotionally and financially, people in Eugene stepped up to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect each other from the virus. The Eugene City Council reviewed and discussed the survey results at their Work Session on Wednesday, April 14.
Notable emotional and financial impacts include:
According to the survey, four out of ten (45%) residents are experiencing emotional distress as a result of COVID‐19.
Results also showed that access to mental health services may be more difficult for those with lower incomes. Those reporting lower incomes were more likely to not be able to access mental health services when needed.
Twenty‐seven percent (26.9%) of Eugene residents indicated their financial situation has worsened as a result of the COVID‐19 outbreak. For many this has meant reduced work hours, decreased sales, postponed projects or contracts, or losing a job. The food service industry was the top industry in which people reported losing jobs.
One out of ten (10%) residents had trouble paying for necessities (rent/mortgage, food, utilities, etc.) during the pandemic and thirteen percent (13%) think they will have problems paying for necessities.
See a list of Community Resources for physical and mental health, food, housing, businesses, employees, schools and children, as well as information in Spanish.
Also learn how you can help. Our partners have a significant amount of information available online. Please visit these resources for the most up to date information:
Lane County is in our state warning week. Due to increasing COVID-19 cases we are currently on track to move to High Risk Level starting Friday April 23.
Please help lower our risk level by limiting gatherings, wearing masks, washing your hands, maintaining physical distancing, staying home when sick and working with contact tracers when they call you.
More information on the state guidance for risk levels and the process for counties moving between risk levels can be found here:
Traditionally, elders in communities of color hold an integral space as living history, story tellers and as a source of advisory or guidance.
Lane County Public Health worked with local elders to create vaccine confidence videos explaining why they received the vaccine as a way to encourage other members of our communities to get vaccinated by using our community’s original influencers – our elders.
Follow Lane County social media platforms for new videos or view the full series at www.vimeo.com/lanecountygov.
(updated weekdays (data below as of 4/12/2021 at 8:00 a.m.)
83,120: Fully Vaccinated 53,324: Have received first dose only 214,270:Total doses administered
44.13%: Percentage of Lane County ADULTS – who have received at least 1 dose. 26.89%: Percentage of Lane County ADULTS – FULLY vaccinated
Weekly Allocation Data – April 12-18, 2021
7,210: Vaccine Allocation Prime doses 0: Vaccine Allocation Single dose (Johnson & Johnson) 8,780: Vaccine Allocation of Boost (2nd) doses
The data reported is direct from Oregon Health Authority’s database, current to the time it was pulled. Since the data is constantly being updated, numbers can vary. Total vaccinations refers to doses, while persons vaccinated is referring to the people who received doses. There is sometimes a delay in reporting of doses administered (meaning the vials of vaccine have been distributed) and the connection to the persons who received it. The percentage of fully vaccinated does refer to those who have received both doses.
If you want more information on vaccination statistics, please visit: OHA Data Page
The Oregon mega fires of 2020 showed us that winds can propel a burning fury of sparks into our most densely populated urban areas, threatening dozens to hundreds of homes. Our community’s safety can be greatly enhanced by each of us receiving a custom fire risk assessment and reducing hazardous fuels as appropriate for our homes and property.
SHiNA is collaborating with the Eugene Wildfire Preparedness Coalition (EWPC) and the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to identify properties that are in need of tree pruning and invasive plant removal to lower the risk of wildfire in the wooded neighborhoods of the South Hills.
Please reach out if you’d like a free Fire Risk Property Assessment and help with fuel reduction. To be part of this program email eug.fire.prep.coalition@gmail.com or call 541-972-3867. EWPC will contact you to schedule an assessment for wildfire risks that addresses how to make your home and property more resilient.
Join us on Tuesday, April 13th at 6:00PM when we will detail the enrollment process, introduce staff, share school procedures, and answer any questions you might have.
Please call the school office (541-790-5000) if you are unable to attend the orientation and have questions about the enrollment process.
