PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — With the threat of the latest COVID-19 variant, there is a renewed rush on not just first doses — but booster shots as well.
As people scramble to get shots, KOIN 6 News is on the hunt for where you can find those doses. Most of the chain pharmacies are currently appointment-only, with booking often 2-3 weeks out around the metro area.
However, there are some places accepting walk-ins — like Fairley’s Pharmacy.
Fairley’s is an independent pharmacy in Northeast Portland. The owner, Dan Lee, said he is getting regular shipments of COVID-19 vaccines and the demand is picking up.
“We weren’t really expecting this kind of value at first, we were expecting maybe like 10 or 20 which we could easily manage,” Lee explained. “I think today we’ve had like 40 come in.”
By the end of the day, Fairley’s Pharmacy saw much more than 40.
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For now, independent pharmacies seem to be the places to go. Checking their websites or Facebook pages often is the best bet to find availability.
Pharmacists say they expect the rush for boosters will die down, as it did for the first and second vaccination doses. While there are plenty of vaccines in stock, they tell us the real challenge is finding enough staff to administer them.
Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties all post their walk-in clinic availabilities on their websites as well. You can also check the state’s main vaccination website.