As of March 26, all of Oregon’s COVID-19 vaccine-enrolled Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) can vaccinate anyone — regardless of whether they are outside the state’s currently eligible groups — to ensure the COVID-19 vaccines are distributed equitably to all people in Oregon.

Oregon’s FQHCs reach people who might not otherwise have access to health care.

In early March, Oregon started a pilot program to allow some FQHCs to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to anyone they serve — even if that person does not fall into currently eligible category — to immunize people most affected by the virus, such as agricultural workers. The program has improved access to vaccination so much that Governor Kate Brown and OHA decided every FQHC should have this flexibility.

FQHCs will reach out to their patients and communities to schedule the vaccinations.

This article first appeared in the March 30, 2021 issue of Oregon Coronavirus Update.