PORTLAND — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday announced statewide and county COVID-19 vaccination targets, with the hope of reopening the state’s economy.
Most statewide coronavirus-related restrictions will be lifted when 70 percent of Oregon’s residents who are 16 years and older receive the first COVID-19 vaccine dose, Brown said. In addition, counties will be eligible to move into the “lower risk” category when 65 percent of the area’s eligible population is vaccinated.
“We still have some work to do to reach our 70 percent goal, but I am confident we can get there in June and return Oregon to a sense of normalcy,” Brown said. “So Oregon, this is our goal. We each play a part.”
Currently, more than half of Oregon’s eligible population have received their first vaccine dose.
“For the first time since the start of the pandemic, we’ll be able to say the virus no longer controls the timelines in our lives — we will if enough Oregonians make the choice to get vaccinated,” said Pat Allen, the Oregon Health Authority’s director.
Counties with 65 percent of the population, 16 and older, vaccinated will be eligible for the “lower risk” category.
Under the lower risk category, residents in the county can have indoor gatherings of 10 people or outdoor gatherings of 12 people. Restaurants, gyms and indoor and outdoor entertainment can open up to 50 percent capacity.
Currently, two counties — Benton and Hood River — have already vaccinated more than 65 percent of adult residents and are ready to move to the lower risk category on May 21, unless they opt out.
Four counties — Deschutes, Lincoln, Multnomah and Washington — have vaccinated more than 60 percent of their adult population and are likely reach the target by May 21.
An additional five counties — Clackamas, Clatsop, Lane, Polk and Tillamook — have vaccinated 55 percent of their adult populations.
In order to reach the statewide 70 percent target by the end of June, Allen says, Oregon would need to administer 8,700 first doses per day over the next seven weeks. At the start of the week, the state was averaging a total of 34,869 first and second doses each day.
“Our vaccination targets are in reach, and it’s possible we can exit the statewide risk metrics before July 4th, even if there’s a dip in our current vaccination rates,” Allen said. “Based on our current trajectory, we’re on track to actually vaccinate eight in 10 adults by mid- to late June.”
