New COVID variant spurs local vaccine clinic as health officials prepare for next spike

From North Central Public Health:

With news on Dec. 17 that the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 is expected to lead to record hospitalizations by early February, North Central Public Health District has opened another vaccine clinic on Dec. 28 to increase access to vaccinations.

NCPHD already had clinics set up for Jan. 6 and Jan. 13. To book your own appointment, visit here or call us at 541-506-2600. Offered are 1st, 2nd, 3rd doses and boosters.

Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are offered, although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control now says Pfizer and Moderna are preferred to J&J.

Vaccines are free for everyone.

Other options for getting the vaccine include local pharmacies. All offer Moderna, while Pfizer offers vary:

Safeway currently has openings from Dec. 26 and thereafter. Pfizer offered for 12 and up. Book online at here.

Fred Meyer currently has openings from Dec. 23 and thereafter. Only offers Pfizer for ages 5-11. Book online here.

Rite-Aid currently has openings from Dec. 30 and thereafter. Offers Pfizer for ages 5 and up. Book online here.

Walgreen’s has openings from Dec. 29 and thereafter. Only offers Pfizer for ages 5-11. Book online here.

One Community Health has openings at a vaccine clinic next Wednesday, Dec. 29. The clinic is open to the public and people do not have to be a patient at One Community Health. Book online here.

Omicron is much more transmissible than the previous Delta variant. Although Omicron appears to be less likely to cause severe disease, it will still cause many more people to be sick, causing severe strain on our health system.

Estimates are that Oregon hospitalizations could reach 3,000 COVID patients by early February, or 2,000 if measures are taken including widespread uptake of boosters, masking, and limiting gathering sizes. Both numbers are higher than the peak of 1,200 hospitalized during the Delta surge.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has a goal of getting one million Oregonians booster shots by the end of January, with a focus on groups most at risk of hospitalization if they catch the Omicron variant, which includes people living in long term care facilities.

View the governor’s press release here.

For more information, please visit COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon, contact North Central Public Health District at (541) 506-2600, visit us on the web here or find us on Facebook.