Booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will likely soon be available to Oregonians 65 and over and adults with underlying medical conditions, but state officials warned Thursday there might not be enough health care staff to ensure everyone who wants a shot gets one as fast as they would like.
“Our ability to deliver Pfizer boosters isn’t limited by the availability of doses, but by capacity of health care providers to administer them at the same time they’re treating hundreds of new cases each day,” Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said in a news release Thursday.
The state announcement comes on the heels of a federal recommendation to allow third shots of the Pfizer vaccine for adults who got their last Pfizer dose at least six months ago and are either at high risk of severe illness, are at least age 65 or live in long-term care. People with compromised immune systems who got their last shot at least a month ago are currently eligible for third shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
A Pfizer-funded study found that the vaccine loses about 6 percentage points of effectiveness with every two months that pass after a person got their second dose of the vaccine.
The last hurdle before Oregon broadens who is eligible for third shots is the approval of a scientific board that examines federal recommendations on behalf of Oregon, Washington, California and Nevada. The board has followed federal guidance throughout the pandemic, typically within a day or so.
About 230,000 Oregonians could be eligible for booster Pfizer shots, the health authority said. With about 460,000 doses available across the state, the supply is unlikely to be a problem. The challenge will be in finding the health care workers to administer them, health officials said.
“I ask Oregonians to recognize that you may not have a booster appointment waiting for you the day you become eligible,” Allen said. “But you will get one.”
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September 24, 2021 at 08:18AM
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Oregon to allow booster COVID-19 vaccine shots for eligible residents after final hurdle - OregonLive
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