Salem Health CEO Cheryl Nester Wolfe, right, a nurse, prepares to deliver Salem’s first Covid vaccine to Dr. Katherine Landen on Dec. 17 at Salem Hospital (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)
More than 70% of Oregon health care providers were vaccinated against Covid at the end of June, the Oregon Health Authority said Wednesday – a slightly higher rate than the general population.
But vaccination rates varied widely by job, with dentists and medical doctors posting the highest vaccination rates. State data showed 94% of Oregon dentists, 87% of medical doctors and 83% of physician assistants were vaccinated. That’s among about 20 types of health care licenses the state released data for.
Rates were lowest among chiropractors (50%) and their assistants (45%), emergency medical technicians (56%), naturopaths (57%) and certified nursing assistants (57%).
Health care workers were among the first people in Oregon to become eligible for a Covid vaccine.
The data does not list where health care providers work. OHA said on June 21 that 62% of employees at long-term care facilities had been vaccinated against Covid. That number was based on a survey of facilities around the state and did not differentiate between licensed medical providers and other employees.
OHA said it would update the data on health care provider vaccination rates monthly.
-Rachel Alexander
