The Oregon Health Authority last week authorized the updated COVID-19 boosters produced by Pfizer and Moderna for use in Oregon and a local vaccination clinic has been scheduled for Sept. 23 in Philomath.
The vaccination event will run from 4-7 p.m. on that Friday at Clemens Primary School.
The Pfizer and Moderna updates are a bivalent mRNA vaccine, which means it teaches a person’s immune system how to target not only the original strain of COVID-19 but also the omicron strain, sources said. For most Oregonians, this means the public is now eligible for another booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
For those who are age 12 or older and it has been at least two months since completing the primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine or receiving their last booster — no matter what brand received or how many boosters received — they are eligible to receive an updated booster dose.
Benton County said that the new updated booster will be available while supplies last at the Sept. 23 Philomath vaccination event, as well as others upcoming in the region. Those include Sept. 10-11 (noon-8 p.m.) and Sept. 12-16 (4:30-8 p.m.) at the Benton County Fairgrounds; Sept. 12-16 (noon-4 p.m.) at Oregon State University’s Memorial Union Room 62 located at 2501 SW Jefferson Way; Sept. 24 (1-5 p.m.) at Monroe High School; and Sept. 25 (1-5 p.m.) at the Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis.
Benton County said supplies will be limited the first few weeks with more scheduled to arrive locally over the coming weeks.
The county also mentioned that free COVID-19 test kits will be available to take home from the vaccination events.