Where to Get a COVID Vaccine in Clatsop County
The COVID pandemic has shattered lives, taken lives, and disrupted our lives for the past year. Fortunately, there is a light at the end of the COVID 19 tunnel. Several vaccines are now approved and available if you qualify for one. People have gone to extraordinary measures to get a vaccine, including standing in lines for hours and staying up late into the night dialing for dollars in hopes of getting an appointment. One woman in Seattle even walked six miles in the snow to get her vaccine! Fortunately, there have been some recent improvements to the process, and there is now a central website where you can get all of your questions answered and register to get a COVID vaccine in Clatsop County.
Who Now Qualifies for a Vaccine?
Oregon (and most other states) is taking a phased approach to prioritizing vaccines for the most vulnerable populations. According to this website document, if you’re in the following groups, you likely qualify for a vaccine:
- Healthcare providers
- Long term care providers
- Adults and youth in custody
- Some people with severe underlying conditions (such as heart disease, cancer, or diabetes)
- Childcare providers
- K-12 educators and staff
- People 70 years and older
- People 65 and older as of March 1st
As Clatsop County begins planning to move into the next phases of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the Vaccine Task Force is inviting citizens to help in the planning effort by filling out an online survey.
You will be asked to enter your name, age, contact information, and any underlying medical conditions and, depending on the survey, your place of employment. This will help in the scheduling of future vaccination events.
Please use the highlighted links below that coincides with your status.
Vaccinations are NOT available to the general public at this time – this is a Clatsop County planning survey to prepare for when the vaccines become available.
SURVEY FOR PHASE 1b INDIVIDUALS
This group includes: Early learning and K-12 educators and staff and childcare providers; individuals 65 and older.
SURVEY FOR PHASE 2 INDIVIDUALS
This group includes: Critical workers, people with underlying conditions, people in congregate settings, and GENERAL POPULATION.
SURVEY FOR PHASE 2 ORGANIZATIONS
This group includes: Representatives of critical worker organizations.
Questions? Email covid19vaccine@clatsopeoc.com
Where to Get a Vaccine
Besides your healthcare provider and employer (if in a qualifying group), several pharmacy chains provide the vaccine: including CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and Walmart. Also, Astoria and Seaside Costco & Safeway fans can rejoice; the popular chains are now administering the COVID vaccine. Costco recently announced they would soon begin offering the vaccine to eligible people across five states, including Oregon!
Costco emphasizes that vaccine appointments will only be available to eligible people and according to each state’s requirements. Costco noted that they have a limited number of vaccines in select locations. If you’re looking to schedule an appointment for the Costco in Warrenton, you can follow this link on the Costco website.
Obviously, patience is crucial when pursuing a vaccine. The various vaccine providers are doing the best they can with limited resources. Please try to be understanding. These are our neighbors, and they are on the frontlines, potentially putting their own health at risk to provide COVID vaccines to the public. As time goes on, more and more vaccines are becoming available and more people will qualify.
