By Nicole Montesano • Staff Writer • 

Vaccine clinics running well, but allotments still short

Marcus Larson/News-Register##Guadalupe Najar receives a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue paramedic Jason Schurter with computer assistance from William Harmon during a recent vaccine clinic at the Yamhill County Fairgrounds.
Marcus Larson/News-Register##Guadalupe Najar receives a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue paramedic Jason Schurter with computer assistance from William Harmon during a recent vaccine clinic at the Yamhill County Fairgrounds.
Marcus Larson/News-Register##Doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Marcus Larson/News-Register##Doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Marcus Larson/News-Register##Adult foster care provider Susan Faulkner checks in with volunteer nurse practitioner Rachel Woolley as part of the pre vaccine protocols.
Marcus Larson/News-Register##Adult foster care provider Susan Faulkner checks in with volunteer nurse practitioner Rachel Woolley as part of the pre vaccine protocols.

“Every week,” Manfrin said at a vaccine clinic on Friday, “my requests are in the thousands,” but allotments are sent in the hundreds, because of a nationwide shortage.

The county has started to see a slight decline in new cases of COVID-19 over the past two weeks.

However, on Saturday, the Oregon Health Authority reported a person in Yamhill County has tested positive for the UK variant of the virus, believed to be significantly more contagious. The person had no known travel history, and is the second of three cases of the variant found in Oregon. The strain has also been detected in several other states.

Manfrin said the county would not provide additional information about the person who had contracted the strain. She said she recommends continuing to practice the same precautions, including after vaccination, until case rates have been substantially reduced. Researchers are still trying to determine whether a person who has been vaccinated could still pass the virus to others, she said.

To expedite the vaccination process, Manfrin said, the county schedules appointments for each clinic.

People eligible and wish to make an appointment may send an e-mail to covid@co.yamhill.or.us. If they are unable to access the internet, Manfrin said, they may call Public Health at 503-434-7525 for assistance.

Each person has their temperature checked on arrival, is asked questions to determine whether they are at heightened risk for allergic reactions, and is required to wait in an observation area for 15 minutes after receiving the shot before leaving, to ensure they aren’t having a reaction.

Should any doses be left at the end, Manfrin said, “We have a standby list of people eligible in phase 1a and phase 1b who we call … and they come down to receive it.”

Manfrin asked that people not try to attend a clinic, unless they have an appointment, “as it creates confusion and additional work and staffing on our end.”

Every dose is used, she said. “We have not wasted any doses and do not plan to.”

The county has been receiving the Moderna vaccine, which requires freezing, but not the extreme cold temperatures required by the Pfizer vaccine, she said. The county had obtained two special freezers from the Linfield biology lab in case it was allocated doses of the Pfizer vaccine. The OHA has moved those to a location receiving the Pfizer vaccine, she said, and is mindful about shipping it to locations that have the ability to handle its requirements.

The county has partnered with Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and other organizations to hold several weekly vaccine clinics for people in the elegible groups.

TVF&R has about 95 emergency medical technicians and firefighters who have volunteered for training in administering shots, in order to help at its weekly clinics. In addition, Manfrin said, the county is working with the McMinnville Fire Department, Virginia Garcia clinic and both county hospitals.

Currently, those eligible are healthcare workers, staff of tribal health programs, caregivers — including parents and foster parents — of medically fragile people, residents and staff of long-term care facilities and emergency responders, as well as jail and prison staff. Starting soon, it will expand to school staff and childcare providers.

The state has not yet focused on vaccinating prison inmates, despite deaths from COVID-19 in prisons, where transmission is hard to prevent. However, the OHA has said it is considering how to proceed with vaccinations for those populations.


The OHA said
the presence of the UK variant is a reminder of the importance of taking precautions to avoid transmission, including avoiding “any gatherings with people you don’t live with.”

In addition, it urges Oregonians to wear masks outside their homes, maintain at least six feet of distance from others, and wash their hands often.

“People who experience symptoms — even mild ones — are urged to consult with a medical provider quickly to get instructions on how to care for yourself and your household members and whether to get tested,” the OHA said in a press release.

Many experts are now advising Americans to wear double masks for additional protection, or to construct homemade cloth masks from at least three layers, including one made of filtering material.

The county reported 39 new cases of COVID-19 for the weekend and Monday, as well as two new deaths.

A 53-year-old Yamhill County woman tested positive on Dec. 21, and died on Jan. 11, at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. She had underlying conditions.

Also, a 90-year-old woman tested positive on Jan. 14 and died on Jan. 23 at Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center. Presence of underlying conditions is being confirmed.

There have been 50 deaths in the county from COVID-19. The state of Oregon has seen 1,880 deaths, as of Sunday, and 138,168 cases.

According to the OHA, as of Sunday, the county had administered 5,421 doses of vaccine. It has a population of 108,061.


Vaccinations to begin for educators

Teachers are expected to start getting COVID-19 vaccines late this week, according to Maryalice Russell, superintendent of the McMinnville School District.

She said her district and Newberg will host vaccine clinics for educators from around the area.

Lindsey Manfrin, head of the public health department, said she also hopes to set up a clinic in the West Valley so teachers living there don’t have to drive so far for their shots.

Russell said public health officials told school districts they will receive a share of the total vaccines the county has available that’s proportional to the number of educators in their district. If a district represents 40 percent of the educators in the county, for instance, it will receive 40 percent of the number of shots currently available.

Manfrin said it would take only two or three days to vaccinate all the teachers in the county — if plenty of vaccines were available. However, the county has not received enough yet.

The teachers’ union in McMinnville, the McEA, and the McMinnville district last week signed a Memo of Agreement stating in-person classes would not start until educators had opportunities to receive both doses of the vaccine.

If they get shots at the end of the week, it will be about four more weeks before they receive the second dosage. The earliest students could expect to return to the classroom would be the end of February.

McMinnville plans to resume in-person instruction on a hybrid basis for elementary students, starting with the youngest grades.

In addition to vaccines, the district also is taking numerous steps to ensure the safety of students, educators and the community, Russell said. Steps include having small groups of students in class at any one time, wearing masks, distancing, installing handwashing stations and cleaning and sanitizing frequently, mostly without chemicals.

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