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Village Updates

COVID Update #3

Published on 3/12/2021

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has developed a new vaccine scheduling process. This is in response to the recent challenges people have faced when attempting to schedule an appointment at the COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Site at the Oregon Convention Center.

Starting Monday, March 1, 2021, community members who are 65 and older and do nothave mobility issues who want a vaccine will sign-up through the OHA website—either through the Vaccine Information Tool in the lower right corner or with the Get Vaccinated Oregon button.

Online registration requires EITHER a mobile phone number OR an email address. There is no option at the moment to be invited to book a vaccine appointment by landline phone, so you must register with EITHER a cell phone number or email or find someone to use their text or email to help you (see note below.) Through this registration process you are able to select which mode you prefer your notifications to come to.  

OHA states, “Each week, OHA will pull a random list from the Get Vaccinated Oregon database of eligible individuals that matches the vaccine supply provided to the Mass Vaccination Site at the Oregon Convention Center.  From there, individuals will be contacted to schedule a vaccine appointment.”

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE EMAIL OR CELL PHONE AND NEED ASSISTANCE PLEASE CALL JULIE GRANGER OR VONNIE CONDON (both member-volunteers are listed in our online membership directory.)

Additionally, if you have questions, call 211 or 1-866-698-6155 between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wait times may be long due to high call volumes. You can also choose to receive a return call (in English or Spanish) rather than wait on hold.  They are able to assist individuals who do not have a cell phone or email, and primarily use a landline, but the Village is also willing to assist our members with this process.

The new system makes it easy to help other people book appointments: you may sign up multiple other “clients” under your own account so that the invitations to book come to the helper’s text or email address and will allow the helper to book for their clients. 

 

Mobility Issues:

Portland area people who are 65 and older who do have mobility issues can continue to access vaccine appointments via the Vaccine Information Tool (chatbot) at www.covidvaccine.oregon.govor go directly to www.ohsu.edu/covidvaccinesfor the Portland International Airport drive-through clinic.  The best times to do this are Monday or Thursday at 9a.m. when appointments are released for booking.

Again, in either case, individuals can also call 211 or 866-698-6155 to register. Phone lines open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, including holidays, but often you leave your callback number for them to return the call many hours later.

Pharmacy Resources:

Currently, there ARE appointments available at area pharmacies off and on throughout the day. You must check their websites repeatedly throughout the day in order to register for a vaccination. There are often no appointments listed, but trying again later in the day or the following morning may produce an appointment. We have heard many folks having great success with getting a vaccination through Walgreens, but everyone has expressed that it was a matter of diligence.

 

To stay abreast of the latest information, each pharmacy has a sign up for updates on each website. As of this update, we have not experienced actually receiving an email prior to appointments being available online. We encourage interested Villagers to just keep trying the website throughout the day.

 

Safeway:

Go toSAFEWAY COVID-19and follow the instructions. There are two choices. Either ‘Vaccine Availability’ or ‘Sign Up For Updates’ regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. This includes both Albertsons and Safeway pharmacies.

‘Vaccine Availability’ will lead one through the steps to make an appointment.

If there are no appointments available, choose ‘Sign Up For Updates’ and fill in the required information. An email will be sent when vaccines are available and an appointment can then be made.

 

Walgreens:

Go to WALGREEN COVID-19

On the next screen are two choices in red buttons.

‘Find appointments’and ‘Sign up for updates’

Once again, follow instructions to see if there are any appointments available or to receive an update when they are.

 

Other resources

OHSUhttps://www.ohsu.edu/health/covid-19-vaccines-information-and-appointments

Kaiserhttps://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/coronavirus-information/covid-vaccine

Legacyhttps://www.legacyhealth.org/about/news-and-media/COVID-19-Info-page/covid-19-vaccine

Providencehttps://coronavirus.providence.org/blog/uf/646022626