February 19, 2021 3:20 a.m.

Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have announced that over $7.5 million of Federal Emergency Management Agency funding is headed to Josephine and Benton counties to boost the distribution of coronavirus vaccines to Oregonians.

Merkley said the senators fought to get the funding for these counties but it is just the start. Merkley said he will continue to do all he can to get vaccines distributed to every community in Oregon.

Wyden said, “I’m glad Oregonians in Josephine and Benton counties have secured this funding to accelerate vaccinations in their communities, and I’ll keep battling to make sure similar support is headed to every nook and cranny statewide”.

The FEMA funding was made possible through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as CARES.

Nearly $4.5 million of the funding is headed to Josephine County, where it will cover costs associated with labor, security, refrigeration, supplies, equipment and facility rentals for two vaccination centers in Grants Pass and Cave Junction. Together they will administer up to 3,000 vaccinations per day for approximately 90 days.

The remaining $3.1 million will assist vaccine distribution in Benton County, by supporting additional staffing for vaccine distribution call centers, purchasing software for more efficient call center service, creating mass vaccination events and ensuring residents have access to vaccine information, regardless of their access to technology.