Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is once again accelerating the state’s timeline for COVID-19 vaccines.
In a press release early Tuesday, Brown announced that all Oregonians 16 and older will be eligible for vaccines from April 19, almost two weeks earlier than state officials had previously announced on May 1st.
‘Today, Oregon will pass the threshold of 2 million administered vaccine doses. And yet, in communities across Oregon, COVID-19 is spreading at rates, ‘Brown said in a statement. “We need to move as fast as possible to get more gunshots.”
The announcement comes as Oregon has repeatedly accelerated its vaccine admission timeline in recent days. On Monday, frontline workers gained access to the shots, along with adults living there.
“Over the next two weeks, we will dedicate all available resources to ensuring that Oregon’s leading workers and people with underlying conditions have access to vaccines – two groups in which Oregonians from color communities are predominantly represented,” Brown said. “My office will work closely with the White House to ensure that Oregon receives our fair share of federal vaccine supplies so that we can continue a rapid, equitable and equitable distribution process.”
Oregon’s adjustment in the vaccination timeline reflects an expected acceleration at the national level. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that President Joe Biden is expected to announce that all U.S. adults aged 16 and older nationwide will be eligible for vaccinations from April 19.
Along with other states, Oregon has seen an increase in new infections and hospitalizations in recent weeks, raising concerns about a ‘fourth wave’ of the pandemic. The numbers are still far below a peak that the state experienced at the end of 2020.