PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The latest COVID-19 booster shot should be easy to get for seniors and other at-risk groups. However, KOIN 6 News found out some viewers were turned away while trying to get the vaccine over the weekend.
Those who were turned away from some Safeway pharmacies were told there was no state approval. This comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the second bivalent booster last week and promised a quick rollout.
On Saturday, other pharmacies started offering the shot, which contains the same formula as the last bivalent booster.
Safeway told KOIN 6 News they had not received information from the state that providers could begin administering the boosters to certain groups.
The directive was not posted by the Oregon Health Authority until Friday night.
“Perhaps we should have done a better job with that,” said Dr. Paul Cieslak of the Oregon Health Authority. “We did say in our press materials, in fairness, that the vaccines would be available in Oregon over the next few days. We didn’t specify exactly a date.”
Oregonians can sign up or walk into pharmacies, including Safeway stores, to get the vaccine, including the extra booster for at-risk groups.
Doctors still highly recommend getting the shot or a booster, even if you’ve had COVID as the virus is expected to spike again in June.