 March 19, 2021
Summary:
- Frontline workers, including many ODHS staff, will now be eligible for vaccines on April 19
- All people 16 and older will be eligible May 1
- You will need to schedule your own vaccinations and ODHS will provide information to help as the eligibility dates get closer
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New vaccine schedule
Today Governor Kate Brown announced that Oregon expects to get more COVID-19 vaccination doses from the federal government in the coming weeks. That means everyone 16 and older will be eligible by May 1. And frontline workers, including many ODHS staff, will be eligible on April 19.
ODHS staff and leadership have been advocating for more of us to be eligible for the vaccine, and we’re pleased to share news of this development.
The state will continue to make equity the center of its vaccine distribution efforts, ensuring that seniors, people with underlying conditions, frontline workers, and the Oregonians most vulnerable to COVID-19 continue to be prioritized for vaccinations as soon as possible.
Remain cautious: Wear a mask, watch your distance, wash your hands
Even though Oregon is making good progress on vaccinations, we’re not out of the woods yet. New COVID-19 mutations are alarming, and we must keep our guard up. Please continue taking the precautions that protect you and those around you from COVID-19: Wear a face covering, watch your distance, wash your hands often, limit gatherings and get a vaccine when it’s available to you.
FAQ
We appreciate your dedication to meeting the needs of Oregonians during the pandemic. To help you understand what the new vaccination schedule means for ODHS employees, and to make sure you have access to resources for staying safe and healthy, we are providing the FAQ below.
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Q1. Where can I find Oregon’s vaccine distribution schedule?
Oregon has a phased approach to vaccinating groups of people to make sure those who are most at-risk for COVID-19 can be vaccinated as soon as possible. The vaccine distribution schedule is posted on the COVID-19 Vaccine in Oregon website.
Q2. Who qualifies for vaccination right now?
Right now, you are eligible for vaccination if you are an individual that meets the vaccine distribution criteria outlined in the schedule for Phase 1A or Phase B Groups 1-5. This includes health care workers, educators, and Oregonians 65 and older.
If you do not meet the criteria but are an ODHS employee working routinely in facilities included in Phase 1A, you are eligible for the vaccine. This includes:
- Licensing and regulatory staff working in long-term care facilities and group homes for people with I/DD
- Staff in the Stabilization and Crisis Unit (SACU)
Q3. Are ODHS employees required to get a vaccine?
No. State employees are encouraged but not required to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
Q4: Will all ODHS employees be in a priority group for vaccination?
One of the priority groups for vaccination includes “frontline workers.” Some – but not all – ODHS staff will qualify for early vaccines as frontline workers. Government frontline workers are included in Oregon’s vaccination schedule in Phase 1B, Group 7. This group becomes eligible for vaccinations on April 19.
Q5: How is Oregon defining “frontline workers?”
Oregon adopted the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) definition for frontline workers. Frontline workers include government employees who have a job that puts the individual at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 because of:
- Regular close contact with others outside of their household (less than six feet); and
- Routine (more than 15 minutes per person(s)) close contact with others outside of their household; and
- They cannot perform their job duties from home or another setting that limits the close or routine contact with others outside of their household.
Government frontline workers are included in Oregon’s vaccination schedule in Phase 1B, Group 7. This group becomes eligible for vaccinations on April 19.
ODHS employees who work remotely but must go to the office or into the community at times to serve Oregonians in person are considered frontline workers eligible for early vaccination.
Q6: How do I get a vaccine if I’m a frontline worker eligible on April 19?
As April 19th gets closer, ODHS will send communications to all staff with information on scheduling a vaccination. Staff who meet the eligibility criteria will need to schedule their own vaccinations.
You also can sign-up for the Get Vaccinated Oregon tool. Get Vaccinated Oregon enables you to set up text or email notifications to be notified when you become eligible. Once you are eligible, this tool will also help you find a vaccine provider or vaccination event near you. The How to Find a Vaccine webpage also is a good resource.
Q7: Have ODHS leaders advocated for more employees to be prioritized for vaccination?
Yes. ODHS leaders have requested ODHS employees be prioritized for vaccination for several months. Department leaders submitted recommendations, responded to information requests and have had discussions with OHA and the Oregon Department of Administrative Services about prioritizing ODHS employees for vaccination. Right now, only ODHS staff who meet the criteria outlined in the state’s vaccine distribution schedule are eligible for early vaccination.
Q8: Is ODHS tracking employee vaccinations?
No. State employees are not required to have a COVID-19 vaccination. Since it is not a requirement for state employment, an employee’s COVID-19 vaccination status is protected personal health information.
Q9: Where can I find more information about COVID-19 vaccines in Oregon?
OHA offers several resources:
- OHA COVID-19 Vaccine Websites: English: https://covidvaccine.oregon.gov/. Spanish: http://healthoregon.org/vacunacovid
- Daily OHA Coronavirus Update: Daily newsletter with the latest news about COVID-19 in Oregon. Subscribe here.
- Interactive options for vaccination questions:
- Text ORCOVID to 898211 to get text/SMS updates (English and Spanish)
- Email ORCOVID@211info.org (All languages)
- If you can’t get your question answered on the website, by text or by email, phone the Call Center at 211 or 1-866-698-6155. It is open daily from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., including holidays. Please be aware that wait times may be long due to high call volumes. There is an option to get a call back rather than wait on hold. Staff take calls in English and Spanish and offer free interpretation for all other languages. For TTY, dial 711 and call 1-866-698-6155.
 
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