October 29, 2021 3:50 a.m. 

Oregon Health Authority is reporting that 80 percent of Oregonians age 18 and older have had at least one dose in their vaccination series, against COVID-19.

OHA said that’s nearly 2.7 million residents of the state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. OHA said those people are now more protected against the coronavirus, with Oregon now one step closer to the critical threshold of immunity.

The CDC’s data includes vaccinations delivered through federal installations and facilities, such as the Veteran’s Administration. Overall, Oregon has delivered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 68 percent of all residents, as children under age 12 remain ineligible for a vaccine. The state ranks 20th in the nation for the percentage of all residents who have received at least one shot.

Oregon has now fully vaccinated 63 percent of all residents and ranks 12th in the nation for the percentage of residents who are fully protected.

OHA’s Public Health Director Rachael Banks said, “Reaching 80 percent is an important milestone because it loosens COVID-19’s grip on our state”. Banks encouraged those who have not yet been vaccinated to do so. Banks said, “Getting vaccinated is – quite simply – our state’s best way out of this pandemic”.

OHA said health officials estimate that Oregon and other states remain below the level of “herd immunity” required to extinguish viral transmission.