The Oregon Health Authority declared success Friday in its quest to vaccinate 70% of adults, commemorating the milestone two days after the state fully reopened and just ahead of a long holiday weekend.
Oregon’s declaration was in part preemptive, with federal data showing 2,206 adults still in need of a first dose to officially hit the target.
But state officials who have long used that same federal data to track Oregon’s progress said Friday they’re confident those people have already received vaccinations but are not yet accounted for in the official tally.
“The 70% adult vaccination goal means we have a better chance to sustain a safe reopening,” Patrick Allen, director of the Oregon Health Authority, said in a statement. “The safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines continue to drive down new cases, hospitalizations and deaths in our state. Thank you to everyone who’s been vaccinated and everyone who helped administer these life-saving vaccines.”
Oregon announced the milestone Friday as it reported 209 new coronavirus cases and three deaths. State officials made the announcement ahead of the three-day holiday weekend, a period of time when the Oregon Health Authority isn’t expected to release news updates about the pandemic.
Agency officials will no longer report daily coronavirus cases, deaths and hospitalizations on the weekends or holidays. The change comes after Gov. Kate Brown officially reopened the state Wednesday and in recognition that the state would achieve its target to vaccinate partially or fully 70% of adults, hitting the threshold just ahead of the Fourth of July federal goal.
The number of unvaccinated Oregonians seeking shots has plummeted in recent weeks, with the state’s expected milestone shifting backward and missing a worst-case prediction of late June.
But officials remain undeterred and say they’ll press ahead with a new goal to eventually vaccinate 80% of the eligible population.
“It’s our goal to vaccinate eight in 10 people across Oregon,” Allen said in his statement, “particularly adults in communities of color and other under-vaccinated groups.”
Vaccines: Oregon reported 7,934 newly administered doses, which includes 3,562 Thursday and the remainder from previous days.
Where the new cases are by county: Baker (1), Benton (2), Clackamas (16), Clatsop (2), Columbia (2), Coos (1), Crook (3), Curry (1), Deschutes (14), Douglas (14), Gilliam (1), Harney (1), Hood River (3), Jackson (14), Jefferson (1), Josephine (12), Klamath (7), Lane (13), Linn (15), Malheur (1), Marion (22), Morrow (1), Multnomah (22), Polk (7), Tillamook (2), Umatilla (6), Union (1), Wasco (2), Washington (14) and Yamhill (8).
Who died: Oregon’s 2,779th death linked to COVID-19 is an 89-year-old man from Lincoln County who tested positive Jan. 20 and died Jan. 31 at Rockledge Regional Medical Center. He had underlying conditions.
The 2,780th fatality is a 92-year-old Marion County man who tested positive June 16 and died June 29 at Salem Hospital. He had underlying conditions.
Oregon’s 2,781st death is a 77-year-old Yamhill County man who tested positive Feb. 7 and died Feb. 15 at South Bay Hospital. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.
Hospitalizations: 132 people with confirmed cases of COVID-19 are hospitalized, down two from Thursday. That includes 28 people in intensive care, up one from Thursday.
Since it began: Oregon has reported 209,035 confirmed or presumed infections and 2,781 deaths, among the lowest per capita numbers in the nation. To date, the state has reported 4,454,296 vaccine doses administered, fully vaccinating 2,194,103 people and partially vaccinating 210,506 people.
To see more data and trends, visit https://projects.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/
— Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt