Health District Provides Vaccination Distribution Update

From North Central Public Health District Interim Director Shellie Campbell:

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North Central Public Health District (NCPHD) plays an ongoing vital role in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine and would like to share key information.

•   Vaccines based on older age alone are not yet available

•   Local distribution is in phases set by the state

•   Phase 1a is the first phase and has four groups

•   Locally, Phase 1a/Group 1, is almost finished, and work in Phase 1a/Groups 2-4 has begun

•   NCPHD is contacting entities in the four groups to offer vaccine clinics

•   NCPHD serves three counties: Wasco, Sherman and Gilliam

•   Vaccine demand far exceeds supply, so the public’s patience is appreciated

•   Childcare, preschool and K-12 school staff will be the first group in Phase 1b

•   Mid-Columbia Medical Center and One Community Health are also assisting in vaccinating those in Phase 1a

  The health district is nearing completion of a comprehensive list of all the entities in its three-county service area that fall within the four groups of Phase 1a of the Oregon vaccine sequencing plan.

  The health district is offering vaccine clinics to eligible individuals in the four groups. There are many hundreds of people in Phase 1a and it will take time to get through them. Thus far, NCPHD has been getting 100 doses of vaccine a week the last several weeks.

Counties may not be in the same phase due to population size and availability of the vaccine. The Sherman County Medical Clinic in Moro got its own vaccine supply and was able to proceed through Phase 1a quicker.

The state sequencing plan for Phase 1a includes the following groups relevant to our three-county service area:

Phase 1a, Group 1

•   Hospitals (given vaccines directly by state)

•   Urgent care clinics

•   Skilled nursing and memory care facility workers and residents (given vaccines by pharmacies under

  federal program)

•   Emergency medical service providers and other first responders including law enforcement, fire and

  ambulance crews

  Phase 1a, Group 2

•   Staff and residents in assisted living facilities and other residential facilities and group living/treatment

  (such as residential substance abuse and psychiatric treatment programs)

•   Residents and staff in adult foster homes

•   Age-eligible residents plus all staff in group homes for children or adults with intellectual and

  developmental disabilities

•   Hospice programs

•   Behavioral health mobile crisis care

•   Secure transport

•   Individuals working in correctional settings

  Phase 1a, Group 3

•   Home health care workers

•   Parents and caregivers of medically fragile children or adults living at home

•   Children who meet the age requirement (18 for Moderna vaccine used by NCPHD) or adults who live at

  home and have a medical condition or disability

•   Non-emergency medical transport staff

  Phase 1a, Group 4

•   All other outpatient care staff not in previous groups, including ambulatory surgery outpatient infusion

  centers, out-patient physical, oral/dental health, addiction, mental health, veterinary care, laboratory,

  pharmacy, phlebotomy services

•   Chiropractic, naturopathic, massage and acupuncture providers

•   School nurses

•   Healthcare staff who provide direct COVID services including testing

•   Blood donation staff

•   Direct service providers to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other high-risk

  populations

•   Deathcare workers