Dear patients and friends,

A few updates this week. As of Monday January 25th, group one of phase 1B became eligible for vaccines. This includes K-12 educators and some other childcare providers. Additional information regarding groups two through five has also been released. If you are over 65, check the table below for when you can expect to become eligible. Groups and a timeline beyond that have not yet been established.

While this is progress, the vaccine is still in limited supply and the state is estimating that it will take between twelve and fifteen weeks to vaccinate all of phases 1A and 1B. Due to excessive request volume, the vaccine request form provided last week has been disengaged. Most counties are directing patients to the Oregon Health Authority FAQ and eligibility tool to get matched with a vaccine provider. These phases and sign up information are Oregon specific. If you are a Washington resident, check out this webpage for the Washington Department of Health for phase information and vaccination locations.

While we all wait patiently for the vaccine, there are some additional factors coming into play. Some good news is there has been a 35% decline in Covid cases nationally. This is the sharpest decline we have seen since the beginning of the Pandemic. Simultaneously, we have seen the spread of at least three COVID-19 variants in different parts of the world. Mutations in viruses are very common. What makes these variants notable is that their mutations appear to make them spread more quickly than previous versions. At this point it is not clear whether the disease caused by these variants is milder, more severe, or unchanged. Read more about this on the CDC's website.

The takeaway here is that we're heading in the right direction, but the pandemic is not over yet. Please maintain precautions like hand washing and social distancing. Also read this article from the Washington Post for some good advice on masking protocols moving forward. In short, consider wearing an N95 or double masking (one surgical, one cloth) for better protection.

I hope this update finds you well. Stay tuned for information as we learn more.

Sincerely,