On December 31, 2020, Columbia Basin Care joined a historic moment as employees and residents rolled up their sleeves to be among the first in the nation to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. "I'm so excited!" says Julie Kimbell, a certified medication aide who stands first in line for the Covid-19 vaccine. "Getting this vaccine means I can protect our residents, my family, everyone!"

On Sunday, Dec. 27, the residents and staff of the Oregon Veterans’ Home in The Dalles and The Dalles Health and Rehabilitation, two local skilled nursing facilities, were the first in Wasco County to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

In an effort to better inform residents, the North Central Public Health District has created a new website page that provides additional information about the vaccine and its distribution. The site will be updated periodically explaining how vaccines will be administered to locals in the coming days and months.

Frontline healthcare workers throughout the county to be the first to receive the vaccine

Local health officials are not expecting coronavirus vaccines to be available in Wasco County this week, but rather, are likely to come in on a second shipment on Dec. 22.