Feds order Oregon to open eligibility to all by May 1
Published 4:24 pm Wednesday, March 17, 2021
- Registered nurse Laurie Post prepares doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during a Umatilla County Public Health drive-thru vaccination clinic at the Pendleton Convention Center on Jan. 28, 2021.
SALEM — All eligibility limits on COVID-19 vaccinations will be lifted in Oregon on May 1 after a federal order tied to vaccine shipments.
Allen said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has told states to remove any phased eligibility in order to continue to receive shipments of the federally controlled vaccine.
“It’s a binding order,” Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen said told lawmakers Wednesday, March 17.
“So it’s first come, first serve, as of May 1?” said Rep. Cedric Hayden, R-Roseburg, vice-chair of the House Subcommittee on COVID-19.
“Yep, yep,” Allen said.
President Joe Biden had announced an “order” on March 11 for all adults to become eligible for the vaccine by May 1.
Gov. Kate Brown said late last week that the state would stick with its phased plan for eligibility until it had firm guarantees that additional supply of doses would be coming along with the surge in those who could qualify for the shot.
Allen said that the new federal mandate was still under review by state health officials, but that the May 1 deadline was not negotiable.
There are an estimated 2.8 million adults in Oregon and about 500,000 have been vaccinated since December.
