Oregon drivers stuck in snow get soon-to-expire vaccines

KOIN 6 News Staff

Updated: Jan 28, 2021 / 06:39 AM CST

Josephine County Public Health Officials gave out doses of the vaccine that were about to expire. (JCPH)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Six lucky Oregon drivers got a dose of the coronavirus vaccine Tuesday while stranded in the snow.

Josephine County Public Health held a vaccine clinic at Illinois Valley High School and had six leftover doses because the intended recipients got stuck on their way to the clinic. The vaccines were about to expire, so officials decided to give them out.

When @JoCoPH concluded its vaccination event at the Illinois Valley High School, they never guessed they might be setting up an impromptu clinic on the way back to Grants Pass. But that's exactly what happened when a snowstorm stranded about 20 personnel on Highway 199. pic.twitter.com/0QdreROw4p
— Josephine County (@CountyJosephine) January 27, 2021

Twenty personnel were on their way back to Grants Pass when they got stuck on Highway 199 near Hayes Hill. That’s when they went car to car and gave out the extra doses.

An ambulance was nearby as a precaution.

One of the drivers ended up being a Josephine County Sheriff’s Office employee who was meant to receive the dose.

JCPH Director Mike Weber said it was one of the coolest operations he’d been a part of.