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An Oregon vaccine advisory committee recommends that the state distribute coronavirus vaccines to communities of color, in an effort to alleviate racial inequalities in the healthcare system. The committee’s recommendation also targets people who are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus pandemic because of their socio-economic backgrounds, supporters of the guidelines said.
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The committee was established by the Oregon Health Authority as a vehicle to combat generational racism in the state’s health care system and includes members from a multitude of racial justice and health advocacy groups. The health authority says it will follow the committee’s recommendations if it can overcome legal challenges and gain Governor Kate Brown’s approval.
The committee said about 806,000 Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOCs) would receive a vaccine if the recommendation was passed at their next meeting, according to Oregon Live, the website operated by The Oregonian newspaper.
Currently, the governor has prioritized around 1.4 million people, including health care workers, residents and elderly care staff, inmates, teachers and some elderly, to get the first series of shots.
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Advocates say these groups should be given priority after the injection of the first batch, over other frontline workers and members of non-minority communities.
“We firmly believe that we must prioritize those who are in extremely vulnerable situations and who are dying right now – frontline workers, adults in detention and people living in low-income senior housing and other collective care facilities, ”wrote BIPOC Caucus members of the Oregon Legislature in the letter, which was obtained by the OPB.
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“These frontline and essential workers, adults in detention and people living in low-income senior housing and other collective care facilities are disproportionately BIPOC, and prioritizing frontline workers and communities line and essential, we center the BIPOC communities, ”the letter said.
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