April 2, 2021 2:30 p.m.

Governor Kate Brown has announced that Oregon is expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include all family members of frontline workers.

Brown also said that the state is expanding its criteria of underlying health conditions to match the extended list of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Brown said, “If you are a frontline worker as defined by the CDC, when you make a vaccine appointment for yourself, make them for your whole family too”.

Brown is also asking Coordinated Care Organizations and commercial health insurance providers to reach out to their members with underlying conditions to share information about the importance of vaccinations, and how to get connected to a vaccine.

In a press briefing on Friday, Brown warned that Oregon’s increase in cases and hospitalizations over the past two weeks is cause for concern. Brown said, “Its clear that, in Oregon and across the country, the fourth surge of this virus is at our doorstep”. She said while Oregon’s case numbers haven’t matched those of other states seeing large spikes, “…our numbers are rising and we are back on alert”.

Brown said, “It is a critical moment for us all to double down so we can outrun this next wave”.

A copy of Brown’s remarks from her briefing are linked: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11zU3w4s1E4aSBnmlyrW4tP7lmL02KUBD/view