Restaurant and Bar Workers Finally Have an Approximate Vaccination Date

Gov. Kate Brown and other state officials announced a loose vaccination schedule today, the Oregonian first reported. Among the list of those that now have a likely vaccine date are restaurant and other hospitality workers, who have waited for months to hear any word of a possible vaccination date, even as restaurants reopened for indoor dining. And while it’s likely a huge relief to have an expected date, it’s still a ways off, with vaccinations for hospitality, grocery, and other frontline workers available by May 1.

Some food industry workers will get their vaccines sooner than others: Food processing workers and agricultural workers will be eligible for the vaccine no later than March 29. Some of the state’s major COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred in seafood processing plants and large-scale farming operations, including Pacific Seafood and Townsend Farms.

The Oregonian also reports that state officials consider it to be a conservative timeframe, with new doses arriving in the state that would potentially push up all vaccination dates. There’s even a potential for widespread distribution among the public by the end of May, one spokesperson said.

With a continuing trend downward for infection and hospitalization rates, this bodes well for the new year and the battle against COVID-19. Nevertheless, state official emphasize the continued need to maintain social distancing, mask wearing, and other safety guidelines, as we are not out of the proverbial woods yet.

• All Oregonians eligible for the COVID vaccine by July 1 — those 45 and older with underlying conditions by March 29 [Oregonian]
• Portland Metro Can Reopen for Limited Indoor Dining February 12 [EPDX]
• COVID-19 Updates [Oregon Health Authority]

Updated March 1, 2021 at 3:11 p.m.: This story was updated to include information about grocery and food processing plant workers.