PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon is pushing to make the COVID-19 vaccine more accessible as demand declines, long before the majority of people have gotten a shot.
The hospital groups running the mass vaccination clinic at the Oregon Convention Center sent invitations to school districts in the Portland metro area. The invitations allow students 16 and up, as well as their families, to schedule special appointments on Wednesdays, which are online school days. School buses delivered eligible students to the vaccine clinic for the first time this week.
Preparations are currently underway to vaccinate students between the ages of 12 and 15 once the FDA gives its approval.
Other Oregon school districts such as Beaverton and Tigard-Tualatin are planning to participate in student vaccination efforts in the coming weeks. Various districts say they expect to start administering vaccines from their schools’ on-site health clinics in the near future.
Kaiser Permanente is reaching out to its patients to come in for a vaccine at their doctor’s office and other healthcare providers are starting to follow suit.
For now, pharmacies often within walking distance of residential areas or businesses continue to post available appointments each day and some have walk-in availability.
An appointment won’t be required this weekend for the PDX drive-thru vaccination site this weekend. The Portland International Airport Red Economy Parking Lot will be open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, May 8, and between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 9.
You can still schedule your vaccine at the OHSU COVID-19 Vaccines website. Those without internet access or who need extra help can call 833.647.8222.
In an effort to streamline the scheduling process, COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Site at the Oregon Convention Center changed how they schedule vaccine appointments, offering appointments through the All4Oregon website.
In Seattle, ticket holders at Mariner’s games can elect to receive COVID shots administered by fire department EMTs starting this week.