Oregon journalists eligible for vaccine May 1

Oregon journalists will become eligible for a COVID vaccine by May 1 along with other frontline essential workers, the Oregon Health Authority announced Friday.

OHA said they would follow federal guidelines which include media among essential workers. The decision comes after SPJ Oregon urged the state's Vaccine Advisory Committee to follow CDC guidance and include journalists. To qualify for a vaccine, journalists must regularly come into close contact with people outside their household for work. Journalists who work entirely from home would not be eligible.

As the vaccine rollout continues, we encourage members of the media to act in good faith when making decisions about the timing of their own vaccine. OHA doesn't require proof of eligibility or identification for Oregonians receiving a vaccine, and most state vaccine providers are relying on self-attestation that people meet the state criteria to be vaccinated. Because of this policy, SPJ Oregon does not expect freelancers or independent journalists to encounter barriers to seeking vaccination. 

Currently, there is no way to schedule a vaccination appointment for groups scheduled to become eligible in the future. We will share more information about how journalists can obtain a vaccine when it's available. It's possible journalists could become eligible earlier if Oregon accelerates its timeline due to receiving more vaccines; if this occurs, we will share that information as well.