File photo: Chas Hundley
Washington County’s Mobile Vaccine Team continues to schedule Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccination clinics in western Washington County as the county works to combat the Delta variant.
The furthest west portions of Washington County not in the Portland Metro region have the lowest vaccine adoption rate in the county, according to zip code data tracking vaccination rates across the state from the Oregon Health Authority.
Several clinics in Banks and Timber have already been held, while clinics in Forest Grove have frequently been held during the Forest Grove Farmers Market, though opportunities to be vaccinated at the popular event will end in October when the market closes for the season.
According to the county’s mobile vaccine team schedule, a Forest Grove clinic is scheduled for Wednesday, October 27 at the Forest Grove Famers Market (2030 Main Street) from 4 to 7 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 30, a clinic will be held in Forest Grove at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church (1660 Elm Street) from 3 to 5 p.m.
Louisa Partain, a senior program coordinator for Washington County’s Department of Health and Human Services noted that people can get their first or second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna shot at the clinic. “Folks will receive a card that shows them where we’ll be 3 weeks from that date so they can get their 2nd shot if needed,” Partain said in an email to this newspaper. Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose shot is also available, and those who wish to get their second shot at a pharmacy can do so instead of visiting another county-run clinic.
Those ages 18 and older are eligible for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, while those ages 12 and older can receive the Pfizer vaccine.
More information on vaccines in Washington County can be found on the Washington County Health and Human Services website at co.washington.or.us/vaccine.
National Developments
An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted to recommend the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in those ages 5 to 11.
The panel said that two smaller doses—one-third of the dose used for adults and older children—should be used, and that doses should be administered three weeks apart.
While the F.D.A. is not required to follow the advisory panel’s recommendation, it has in the past. What will likely come next is the F.D.A. concurring with the recommendation, who will then turn the matter over to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The C.D.C.’s expert panel is scheduled to examine the matter next week, and shots could be available as early as the beginning of November.
Vaccination rates by zip code
Vaccination rates for at least one dose by population for local zip codes in western Washington County as of October 26:
97106 (Banks, portions of surrounding areas): 59.6%
97117 (Gales Creek): 50.6%
97116: (Forest Grove, G.C., Glenwood): 68.1%
97144 (Timber): 70.1%
97109 (Buxton): 49.1%
97125 (Hayward, Manning): 43.1%
97113 (Cornelius, Roy): 71.9%
97133 (North Plains, Mountaindale): 79.8%.
More coronavirus data for Oregon and local regions can be found online.
