JACKSON CO., Ore.– Jackson County is working to get 65% of the population vaccinated, to open up more of our local economy. The state says each county must vaccinate at least 65 percent of residents 16 and older, to move into the lower covid restriction tier. It must also submit a vaccination equity plan, and have it approved by the state.
During it’s vaccination clinics, county administrator Danny Jordan said the county under-delivered to certain minority groups. He says migrant farm workers are among the groups of people not being given the same opportunity to be vaccinated. He said more changes need to be made to better serve those in need of the vaccine.
“Initially, we put everything out in English. We have since put things out in Spanish to reach out and get the group that would have been under-served by us just putting things in English. Not that we were discriminating against them, but our way of delivering the service under-served them,” he said.
County commissioner Rick Dyer says he believes the equity plan is an unnecessary hoop to jump through. He says the county is already doing everything it can to vaccinate all residents, regardless of race or ethnicity. Jordan says the Oregon Health Authority is watching each county closely to make sure the vaccine is distributed fairly and equally to all social groups.
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