Sixteen-year-old is 1,000th vaccine recipient at Wasco site

It was all smiles for 16-year-old Isaias Moran as he became the 1,000th person vaccinated at the St. Mary’s Academy mobile vaccine unit in The Dalles on Friday.

The mobile vaccine unit is located at the St. Mary’s Academy parking lot on the corner of 10th and Cherry Heights in The Dalles and offers Pfizer (for ages 12 and up) and the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The vaccines are free, no ID is needed, and Wasco County residents get a $50 gift card.

The various tents of the mobile clinic cover much of the St. Mary’s lot with two lanes for driving-up available, plus walk-ins.

Because of the recent dangerous heat, the mobile unit was closed this past weekend. The clinic resumed operations on Tuesday morning, with operating hours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. this week due to the remaining high temperatures. The vaccination clinic is normally open Tuesdays through Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.

The clinic has been in The Dalles since the beginning of June and was previously staged at One Community Health before moving to St. Mary’s. It is jointly run by One Community Health, the Oregon Health Authority and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It has averaged 68 doses per day and is scheduled to remain on site and available for everyone through Wednesday, July 14.

Congratulations Isaias. Remember that you can get vaccinated from the comfort of your air-conditioned car or walk right up to receive your vaccine.

For more information, contact the North Central Public Health District at (541) 506-2600.