Another COVID-19 wave is expected to hit Oregon this month. Here's where to get vaccines, boosters

Tracy Loew, Salem Statesman Journal
·3 min read
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Oregon is heading into another surge of coronavirus infections, with cases expected to begin increasing later this month and peak in early December.

Infections aren’t likely to reach the highs of the delta or omicron waves, Oregon Health Authority officials said Thursday morning.

But they will likely be mixed in with increased influenza cases and other respiratory viruses typically seen in children and older adults, Dean Sidelinger, Oregon health officer and state epidemiologist, said.

That will continue to strain hospitals that still are recovering from earlier waves of the pandemic.

COVID-19 numbers still falling

Phlebotomist April Aymong caps prepares a sample to be sent for COVID-19 testing at Salem Health Laboratory in Salem, Oregon on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.
Phlebotomist April Aymong caps prepares a sample to be sent for COVID-19 testing at Salem Health Laboratory in Salem, Oregon on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.

Daily reported COVID-19 case counts continue to fall in Oregon, health officials reported.

On Sept. 7, the rolling seven-day average was 580 cases. On Oct. 12, the average had fallen to 482. Test positivity also fell during that period, from 7.2% to 6.8%.

However, Sidelinger said, many people with COVID-19 don’t test or only take home tests, so infection levels certainly are higher than reported.

“While disease is coming down, there’s still a high level of COVID-19 transmission in Oregon,” he said. “Oregonians are still getting sick with the disease.”

On Oct. 6, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nine counties in eastern and southern Oregon were in the “medium risk” level for COVID-19 spread.

Omicron continues to be the dominant variant in Oregon, Sidelinger said.

Young children can get the new vaccine

Sidelinger urged Oregonians to get vaccinated and boosted ahead of the coming wave.

As of Thursday, children age 5-11 are also eligible for the new, updated bivalent MRNA booster. The new booster offers protection against the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants, as well as the original coronavirus.

“That means, as of today, all people aged 5 or older are recommended to receive a bivalent MRNA booster dose at least two months after finishing a primary series,” Sidelinger said.

More: FDA authorizes bivalent COVID-19 boosters for children ages 5 to 11

Health officials estimate there are about 343,000 children in Oregon who are now eligible for the vaccine.

Data from the state’s vaccine registry shows that 6.1% of eligible Oregonians have received the new booster, compared with 3.5% nationwide.

Vaccines are available at several locations in the area, including:

  • Eugene: Valley River Center, 293 Valley River Center, noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. No appointment necessary; bivalent booster, novavax and all pediatric vaccines available. This location will close Oct. 23.

  • Eugene: El Torito Meat Market, 1333 W. Seventh Ave., 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays. No appointment necessary; bivalent booster and all pediatric vaccines available.

  • Eugene: White Bird Clinic, 1400 Mill St., 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Mondays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays. No appointment necessary.

  • Florence: Florence Event Center, 715 Quince St., 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct 25 and 26. No appointment necessary; bivalent booster and all pediatric vaccines available.

  • Springfield: PeaceHealth Riverbend Annex, 123 International Way, noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. No appointment necessary; bivalent booster and all pediatric vaccines available.

Vaccines are also available at many pharmacies and health care providers. Lane County residents can call 541-682-1380 or email corona-info@lanecountyor.gov if they need assistance scheduling an appointment.

Monkeypox spread slowing

OHA also is tracking cases of monkeypox in the state.

Recent data indicates that monkeypox spread is slowing, Sidelinger said. As of Wednesday, there were 230 presumptive and confirmed cases of monkeypox in Oregon.

The cases are in nine counties: 22 in Lane, 11 in Clackamas, two in Columbia, one in Coos, one in Hood River, eight in Marion, 157 in Multnomah, one in Union and 27 in Washington.

Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick contributed to this article.

Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Another COVID-19 wave expected to hit Oregon this month