Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen and Dr. Dana Hargunani, OHA’s chief medical officer, held a media briefing today to discuss the steps OHA is taking to scale up Oregon’s vaccine program and achieve Governor Brown’s goal of 12,000 COVID-19 vaccinations per day within the next two weeks.

Oregon’s pace of COVID-19 vaccinations is on par with other states, with more than 1.2 percent of the population having been vaccinated as of yesterday.

Director Allen and Dr. Hargunani announced that this week OHA will take the following steps:

• Speed Phase 1A prioritization by simplifying the staging and sequencing among groups.
• Speed the number of doses delivered to nursing home staff and residents by activating Part B of federal pharmacy partnerships. OHA anticipates this change will speed vaccinations to approximately 80,000 staff and residents.
• Speed the number of doses delivered to health care workers and other Phase 1A groups by giving them the option to get vaccinated at retail pharmacies.
• Make more doses available to Phase 1A workers by leveraging every available public health capability at our disposal.
• Speed the number of doses delivered to unaffiliated health care workers, nursing home staff and others by supporting innovative partnerships, such as a collaboration between OHSU and labor union SEIU to launch a pilot vaccination effort.

Oregon is currently in Phase 1A of the vaccination effort. So far, members of Group 1 of Phase 1A are receiving vaccine, which includes staff who work in hospitals, urgent care settings, skilled nursing and memory care facilities (and residents) and tribal health programs, as well as emergency medical service  providers and other first responders.

The changes give providers more flexibility to vaccinate people in other groups in Phase 1A, rather than each group getting vaccinated sequentially.

Others who are eligible for Phase 1A vaccinations include people who work in:

• Congregate care sites, such as  nursing homes and residential behavioral health programs.
• Outpatient providers who serve specific high-risk groups.
• Home health providers.
• All other outpatient providers.
• Public health programs, and a range of other front-line roles.

According to Director Allen, speeding up the process within Phase 1A will mean that critical workers and vulnerable populations, followed by the general population, will be served sooner.

“That will save more lives and end the pandemic in Oregon sooner, too,” Allen said. “But as we roll out the vaccines, all of us need to keep taking the steps that have saved thousands of lives in Oregon and staved off the worst extremes of the crisis that we’ve seen in other states: Keep wearing your masks, maintain physical distancing, minimize your indoor social get-togethers, stay home if you feel sick, and wash your hands well and often.”

Sequencing for future phases will be determined by the new Vaccine Advisory Committee, which meets for the first time on Thursday. We will share updates from these meetings in the newsletter.

COVID-19 has claimed 44 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,550, the Oregon Health Authority reported at 12:01 a.m. today.

Oregon Health Authority reported 1,059 new confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 as of 12:01 a.m. today, bringing the state total to 119,488.

Vaccinations in Oregon: Today, OHA recorded 3,964 doses of vaccine administered — including 317 second doses — raising the state’s total number of doses administered to 55,239. This figure is based on preliminary reports of 2,818 doses administered yesterday, as well as 1,146 administered on prior days that had not been recorded.

All vaccinations occurred at Oregon hospitals, long-term care facilities, emergency medical service (EMS) agencies, urgent care facilities and Local Public Health Authorities (LPHAs).

To date, 210,975 doses of vaccine have been delivered to sites across Oregon.

COVID-19 hospitalizations: The number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 across Oregon is 494, which is 17 more than yesterday. There are 107 COVID-19 patients in intensive care unit (ICU) beds, which is five more than yesterday.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

The new confirmed and presumptive COVID-19 cases reported today are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (18), Clackamas (139), Clatsop (3), Columbia (3), Coos (17), Crook (22), Curry (2), Deschutes (69), Douglas (21), Harney (1), Hood River (5), Jackson (69), Jefferson (10), Josephine (26), Klamath (10), Lake (2), Lane (65), Lincoln (6), Linn (42), Malheur (16), Marion (99), Morrow (6), Multnomah (163), Polk (28), Sherman (1), Tillamook (4), Umatilla (75), Union (3), Wallowa (2), Wasco (6), Washington (100) and Yamhill (23).

Here is more information on the deaths reported today: 

Oregon’s 1,507th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Tillamook County who tested positive on Dec. 28 and died on Jan. 1 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 1,508th COVID-19 death is a 54-year-old man in Clackamas County who tested positive on Nov. 29 and died on Dec. 24 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,509th COVID-19 death is a 92-year-old man in Clackamas County who died on Dec. 28 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. The death certificate listed COVID-19 disease or SARS-CoV-2 as a cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,510th COVID-19 death is an 81-year-old woman in Columbia County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Dec. 31 at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,511st COVID-19 death is a 49-year-old man in Coos County who tested positive on Dec. 30 and died on Jan. 4 at Bay Area Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,512nd COVID-19 death is an 83-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on Dec. 4 and died on Dec. 23 at St. Charles Medical Center — Bend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,513rd COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old man in Deschutes County who tested positive on Dec. 21 and died on Dec. 28. Location of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 1,514th COVID-19 death is an 86-year-old man in Douglas County who tested positive on Dec. 16 and died on Jan. 1. Location of death and presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 1,515th COVID-19 death is a 53-year-old woman in Harney County who tested positive on Jan. 3 and died on Jan. 4 at Harney District Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,516th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old woman in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec. 2 and died on Dec. 28 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,517th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec. 6 and died on Dec. 31 at Providence Medford Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,518th COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old woman in Hood River County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died on Dec. 22 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,519th COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old woman in Hood River County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Dec. 21 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,520th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Hood River County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Dec. 21 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,521st COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old man in Jefferson County who tested positive on Dec. 16 and died on Dec. 22 at St. Charles Medical Center — Bend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,522nd COVID-19 death is an 84-year-old man in Jefferson County who tested positive on Dec. 26 and died on Jan. 1 at St. Charles Medical Center — Bend. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,523rd COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old man in Josephine County who tested positive on Dec. 16 and died on Jan. 1 at Asante Three River Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,524th COVID-19 death is a 93-year-old man in Josephine County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Jan. 2 at his residence. Presence of underlying conditions are being confirmed.

Oregon’s 1,525th COVID-19 death is a 90-year-old woman in Klamath County who tested positive on Dec. 7 and died on Dec. 25 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,526th COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old man in Klamath County who tested positive on Dec. 5 and died on Dec. 19 at Sky Lakes Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,527th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Klamath County who tested positive on Dec. 17 and died on Dec. 25 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,528th COVID-19 death is a 69-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 14 and died on Dec. 20 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 1,529th COVID-19 death is a 56-year-old man in Malheur County who tested positive on Dec. 22 and died on Dec. 23 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,530th COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 3 and died on Jan. 3 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,531st COVID-19 death is an 80-year-old man in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 7 and died on Dec. 29 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,532nd COVID-19 death is a 76-year-old woman in Marion County who tested positive on Dec. 17 and died on Jan. 3 at Salem Hospital. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,533rd COVID-19 death is a 60-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 20 and died on Dec. 25 at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,534th COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Nov. 25 and died on Dec. 29 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,535th COVID-19 death is a 96-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 4 and died on Dec. 25 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,536th COVID-19 death is a 95-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 4 and died on Dec. 20 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,537th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 7 and died on Dec. 27 at Providence Portland Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,538th COVID-19 death is a 60-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 13 and died on Jan. 2 at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,539th COVID-19 death is a 91-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 21 and died on Dec. 28 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,540th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old man in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 19 and died on Dec. 20 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,541st COVID-19 death is a 68-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 24 and died on Dec. 25 at her residence. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 1,542nd COVID-19 death is a 78-year-old woman in Multnomah County who tested positive on Dec. 23 and died on Dec. 27 at Providence Portland Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,543rd COVID-19 death is a 94-year-old man in Umatilla County who tested positive on Dec. 1 and died on Dec. 29 at his residence. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,544th COVID-19 death is a 69-year-old man in Union County who tested positive on Dec. 5 and died on Jan. 1 at Grande Ronde Hospital. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,545th COVID-19 death is a 54-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on Nov. 28 and died on Dec. 25 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,546th COVID-19 death is a 55-year-old man in Washington County who tested positive on Nov. 30 and died on Dec. 20 at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

Oregon’s 1,547th COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old woman in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 24 and died on Dec. 23 at her residence. She had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,548th COVID-19 death is a 42-year-old man in Yamhill County who tested positive on Nov. 22 and died on Dec. 13 at Providence St Vincent Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,549th COVID-19 death is a 64-year-old man in Linn County who tested positive on Nov. 27 and died on Dec. 22 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.

Oregon’s 1,550th COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Linn County who tested positive on Dec. 16 and died on Jan. 3 at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.