Vaccine rollout in Oregon too slow, says Governor Kate Brown

Oregon doesn’t vaccinate people fast enough, Oregon Governor Kate Brown said in a statement Monday.

She called on the Oregon Health Authority to step up its vaccination efforts and reach a goal of 12,000 vaccines administered per day. The governor gave the agency two weeks to achieve the goal.

“Let me be clear: we need to vaccinate the Oregon as quickly as possible. Families, schools and businesses in Oregon rely on rapid vaccine distribution. We are all, ”Brown said in the statement.

Vaccination efforts in Oregon and across the country have been far from easy. Unreliable shipments, uneven distribution, vacations and cold storage problems have slowed the state’s efforts to immunize 300,000 healthcare workers.

Oregon planned to vaccinate 100,000 people by the end of December. Despite repeated assurances from the Oregon Health Authority that the goal was achievable, as of December 30, only 31,000 doses had been administered.

Still, Brown says Oregon has administered roughly the same number of vaccinations per capita as other states.

The slow deployment threatens Oregon’s plans to reopen schools by February 15. Teachers have been identified as some of the first essential workers to be vaccinated, once all healthcare workers who want the vaccine have received it.

If Oregon can deliver 12,000 doses a day, Brown said the state would be on track to administer all vaccines the week they are delivered.

“OHA will work with healthcare providers, pharmacies and local public health partners to streamline the distribution process to achieve this goal,” said Mr. Brown.