With an increase in COVID-19 vaccine doses no longer expected from the federal government, the upcoming event at the Jackson County Expo will be for groups in Phase 1a only.
SOUTHERN ORE.- COVID-19 vaccinations continue to roll out across the state. Today, as part of the next step in the rollout, some southern Oregon first responders got the shot to protect themselves and the community.
“The five of us have had no issues! It was right to the arm and no stiffness, no problems. Knock on wood yet!,” said Illinois Valley Fire Chief John Holmes.
Some at the Illinois Valley and Medford Fire Departments got their first COVID-19 vaccine doses this week.
“Yesterday was the first opportunity that became available and we were able to process a first round for some of our folks that were on duty,” Medford Fire’s Deputy Chief of Operations Bryan Baumgartner said. Baum Both departments say they have been anticipating this step in the vaccine roll out but not this soon.
MEDFORD, Ore. Front-line health care workers are in the process of being vaccinated right now and long-term care facilities are up next.
A Medford retirement community is working with a well-known pharmacy to get its staff and residents vaccinated in the near future.
It’s hoping residents will start getting vaccinated soon.
“I think that all of our residents will opt to get the vaccination,” said director of resident services, Annette Sanis.
Weatherly Inn, a retirement community and memory care facility, is preparing to bring the COVID-19 vaccine to it’s location soon.
“We got an email from CVS Pharmacy at the beginning of the month, they’re going to be doing our vaccination clinic,” said Sanis.
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Any pretense of the pandemic being under control in the region evaporated on December 16th, when California reported the highest single-day total of new COVID-19 cases for any state, ever. That news came in the same week that more counties went into the extreme risk category in Oregon.
Dr. Jim Shames is the Medical Director at Jackson County Health and Human Services. He visits once a week to catch us up on COVID-19 issues and current concerns.
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