Gov. Kate Brown estimates Oregon has about three weeks before the omicron variant hits with full force. She has set a goal of getting one million Oregonians booster shots by the end of January. Here鈥檚 a quick look at where things stand and what you should be doing as another COVID-19 surge looms.
How do we prepare for the omicron variant?
Public health authorities say the best way to prepare for omicron is to get vaccinated.
If it鈥檚 been six months since your second COVID-19 vaccination, get a booster. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still considers you fully vaccinated if you鈥檝e received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson drug. But federal health officials say that definition may change, and some colleges 鈥� including 鈥� are already moving to require students and staff to get a booster.
Where can I get a booster?
First, check with your health insurer. Most insurers are setting up appointments for both boosters and vaccinations.
If you don鈥檛 have health insurance, check for appointments with and your
Authorities say that if you can鈥檛 find an appointment straight away, go back later as new appointments are being scheduled all the time.
If you can鈥檛 find an appointment with your health insurance or the local health department, check nearby pharmacies. Many companies, including and, are offering vaccines.
It鈥檚 also possible to simply call for help in Oregon.
How dangerous is the omicron variant?
The CDC announced Tuesday that omicron is now the dominant version of the coronavirus. Last week, it accounted for 73% of new infections in the U.S.
Omicron is between as transmissible as the delta variant, but it is not believed to be as deadly.
Authorities are still very concerned, as omicron can send sufferers to the hospital. If large numbers of people end up in hospital with omicron, it takes attention away from sick people with other conditions. A forecast out of Oregon Health & Science University says the omicron surge could see twice as many hospitalizations as the delta surge earlier this year.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 incredibly sobering,鈥� said Dr. Jennifer Vines, the Multnomah County health officer.
But Vines said county staff are heeding the call.
鈥淢ultnomah County and several other (counties) worked over the weekend to start figuring out how we can expand vaccine and booster access quickly,鈥� she said
Vines called Gov. Kate Brown鈥檚 one million booster goal aspirational.
鈥淲e need people to not just put this off until after the holidays,鈥� she said.
Are there enough vaccine doses available?
There is no shortage of vaccine, according to Patrick Allen, the director of the Oregon Health Authority.
He said the state has received enough extra mRNA vaccine from the federal government to administer 140,000 booster doses.
So supply isn鈥檛 the problem. Staffing and demand are.
鈥淭he lack of staff to put shots in arms is our primary constraint that鈥檚 led to scarce appointments in some Oregon communities,鈥� Allen said. 鈥�... We need every eligible Oregonian to come forward for a protective booster dose.鈥�
You don鈥檛 need to provide proof of vaccination to get a booster, but your provider will want to know when you received your last shot. Boosters should be given at least six months after your last vaccination dose.
How accurate are omicron forecasts?
OHSU鈥檚 Dr. Peter Graven has a that shows hospitalizations could peak at over 3,000 in February. That compares to 1,200 at the height of Oregon鈥檚 delta surge in September.
His forecasts have proved accurate in the past. But he said there鈥檚 an unprecedented degree of uncertainty in this one as he had to estimate omicron鈥檚 spread rate and virulence.
鈥淭here is more speculation here. We are trying to anticipate parameters that are not fully known,鈥� Graven said last week.
Carri Chan with Columbia Business School uses data to help efficiently deliver health care. On Monday she said these kinds of forecasts are never perfect, but they can be helpful.
鈥淪tructurally and trend wise they actually tend to be quite accurate. But if you were assessing the exact number of infections, the exact number for the peak 鈥 would argue none of them are correct,鈥� Chan said.
What is the state of Oregon doing to prepare?
Brown is urging Oregonians to get their booster shots, and aiming to have one million booster shots delivered in Oregon by the end of January.
鈥淚 know that in some parts of the state it鈥檚 been a bit more difficult to get an appointment for a booster,鈥� she said last week. 鈥淧lease be patient as OHA works with our local partners in the next several days to ramp up capacity.鈥�
The Oregon Health Authority last week rolled out a five-point plan to deal with omicron. Along with Brown鈥檚 booster goal, it includes prioritizing inoculations for older adults, especially people in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The state will deploy mobile vaccination teams and work with communities to set up 35 extra vaccination events in addition to 93 already scheduled. The state will also add three new high-capacity vaccination sites to the six already open.
By the end of January, state leaders hope to open a large site in the Portland area to deliver more complex COVID-19 treatments such as monoclonal antibody therapy, in which people are injected with laboratory-produced molecules that act as substitute antibodies and restore the body鈥檚 natural immune response.
State health officials are also working to bring in staff from other states and do more work promoting the need for vaccines and boosters.
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