COVID takes 23rd person in Wasco County; vaccinations coming for 65 plus, educators

From North Central Public Health District Interim Director Shellie Campbell:

Sadly, we are reporting a 23rd person has died in Wasco County from COVID-19. The woman tested positive on Dec. 24 and died at The Dalles Health and Rehabilitation on Dec. 30.
We extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all who have lost loved ones to this pandemic. We are grateful a vaccine is now available to combat COVID but it will take time to vaccinate everyone who wants one. We appreciate your patience. In the meantime, we must continue to wear a mask, maintain distance, wash hands, stay home when sick and avoid large gatherings.

The District continues vaccinating those in the top priority Phase 1a groups, including a large invitation-only vaccination event this Saturday that prioritizes, among others, age-eligible individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers.

NCPHD, which serves Wasco, Sherman and Gilliam counties, is using the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which is available to people 18 and older. The two-dose vaccine is 95 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 illness.

Educators and those 65 and older become eligible for the vaccine in the coming days and weeks, but the health district is limited by the amount of vaccine it receives from the state each week to vaccinate a large number of people yet to be vaccinated in Phase 1a.

Phase 1a broadly includes all healthcare workers and emergency responders. For a detailed breakdown, please see the Phase 1a vaccine sequencing plan here.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced Jan. 15 that educators and school staff, as well as childcare providers and early learning staff, are eligible for the vaccine starting Jan. 25.

Also announced was vaccine eligibility for those 65 and up, on the following timeline: Those 80 and older are eligible starting Feb. 8, followed by three more waves (the dates of which are yet to be determined) for those 75 and older, 70 and older, and 65 and older.

We are still in the early stages of vaccine distribution and urge the public’s patience as we proceed with this vital work. In terms of vaccinating those in education, we anticipate coordinating closely with local school districts to administer the vaccine to teachers and staff. Staff can likely expect communications about vaccinations to come from schools directly.

For those 65 and older, the health district will pursue a variety of means of getting the word out once we have vaccines available for that group. We will use social media posts on our Facebook page, provide updates to our website at ncphd.org, public service announcements like this one, and do outreach through local churches and other community groups.