Several Portland-area hospitals aren't prescribing COVID shots
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Despite Oregon joining other West Coast states in developing its own vaccine guidelines, some doctors and hospitals are reluctant to prescribe COVID shots without clear federal recommendations or state-level legal protections.
Why it matters: Several Portland-area doctors and health care systems, including Providence and Oregon Health & Science University, are hesitant to prescribe the vaccine or are outright turning patients away, according to the Oregonian.
Catch up quick: Last month, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. effectively restricted COVID-19 vaccines to only high-risk groups (seniors and those with underlying health conditions), excluding healthy children and adults.
Yes, but: Health officials told the Oregonian that physicians are worried about legal risks and whether insurers will cover prescription costs, even for eligible patients.
- Therefore, many providers are erring on the side of caution until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases its own revised recommendations.
- Plus: Pharmacists also no longer have the power to dispense COVID-19 booster shots without prescriptions.
What they're saying: Courtni Dresser of the Oregon Medical Association said the state should issue a standing order letting anyone 6 months or older get the COVID vaccine from pharmacists or nurses, while giving providers legal protection — something Washington did last week.
What's next: The West Coast Health Alliance is expected to release its vaccine guidelines soon, according to Jonathan Modie, a spokesperson for the Oregon Health Authority.