The Oregon Health Authority has released a lengthy list to answer the incalculable questions regarding the coming vaccine and COVID-19. We have listed some of their answers below, but please click here to see the whole document. Please also visit OHA's website for more information.

General
Q4. How soon after the second dose will the vaccine become effective?
A4. Clinical trials measured the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Each vaccine
requires two doses.
• The Moderna vaccine is 94% effective two weeks after a person receives the
second shot. The Pfizer vaccine is 95% effective one week after the second
shot.

Q5. Will I still need to wear a mask after I get the COVID-19 vaccination?
A5. The vaccine will keep you from getting sick, but it still may be possible to get,
carry and transmit the virus. Preventing illness and severe illness is certainly a
reason to get vaccinated. It will also take time for us to get everyone vaccinated.
We don’t yet know when we’ll be able to stop wearing masks and maintaining
physical distance, but OHA will continue to watch the spread of the disease in
Oregon. When the spread of disease is low enough, these additional protective
measures can be stopped.

Q6. How much will it cost for me to get the COVID-19 vaccination?
A6. For now, vaccine doses will be given to everyone at no cost.

Q7. Will there be enough COVID-19 vaccine for everyone?
A7. The vaccine may be scarce at first, so distribution will be prioritized. But as
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing ramps up, eventually there will be enough
vaccine for everyone. This timing depends upon how many vaccines are approved
and the total supply of vaccine available through manufacturers. We hope by fall
2021, everyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccination can get one.

Q8. How will Oregon ensure equitable vaccine distribution?
A8. As COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will
ensure the distribution process is based on community involvement that will
provide an equitable system challenging the roles of power, privilege and racism—
informed by a newly assembled COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee (VAC).
The individuals who may receive vaccinations in Phase 1a are specified in
Oregon’s Phase 1a Vaccine Sequencing Plan which can be found on the OHA
COVID-19 vaccine website: https://covidvaccine.oregon.gov.

Q9. How will Oregon implement Phase 1a?
A9. Oregon’s Phase 1a Vaccine Sequencing Plan can be found on OHA’s
COVID- 19 vaccine website: https://covidvaccine.oregon.gov

Q10. Will OHA force me to get a COVID-19 vaccination?
A10. OHA does not plan to require the COVID-19 vaccination, but we do strongly
recommend vaccination for the safety and health of the entire community.
OHA 2390U (1/22/2021) 3

Vaccine distribution in Oregon
Q1. When will the COVID-19 vaccine be available in Oregon?
A1. COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Oregon on Dec. 15, 2020. The first rounds of
doses are going to health care workers who are exposed to COVID-19 through
their work. This includes people who work in hospitals or EMS staff. Also, people
who work or live in long-term care facilities are included in the first round.

Q4. Who decides which workers will get the vaccine first?
A4. OHA is committed to an equitable distribution of vaccine. OHA’s community
engagement team assembled a COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee to listen to
community members and provide input on how to prioritize vaccine distribution. This
committee will identify and prioritize which critical workers will receive vaccine first,
knowing that, in time, there will be enough vaccine for everyone who wants one.

Q5. I am an education worker. When will I get vaccinated?
A5. Child-care and K-12 school and school district staff will be in the first group of
Phase 1b, after Phase 1a is complete. Information on where and when to get
vaccinated will be provided as soon as it is available.

Vaccine details:
Q1. I’ve already had COVID-19 and recovered. Do I still need to get vaccinated
with a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available?
A1. According to the CDC, COVID-19 vaccination should be offered to people
regardless of a history of COVID-19 infection, with or without symptoms. They
don’t recommend testing to check for prior infection when deciding to get the
vaccine.

Q2. I’m pregnant. Can I get a COVID-19 vaccination?
A2. CDC doesn’t have any COVID-19 safety data on pregnant women, though
animal and human studies are ongoing, and more are planned to begin in
Jan. 2021. mRNA vaccines are not “live virus” vaccines. If a woman is part of a
group (i.e., health care worker) recommended to get a COVID-19 vaccine and is
OHA 2390U (1/22/2021) 5
pregnant, she may choose to get the vaccine in consultation with her medical
provider’s help in making an informed decision. Things to consider:
• Level of COVID-19 in the community and the risk of transmission
• The personal risk of acquiring COVID-19 (occupation or other activities)
• The risk of COVID-19 to her or her fetus
• The efficacy of the vaccine
• The side effects of the vaccine
• The lack of data about the vaccine during pregnancy
• Women who take the vaccine and have fever as a side effect should take
acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Routine testing for pregnancy before vaccination is not recommended

Q3. Are the vaccines interchangeable?
A3. Though Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are made the same way, people must
get the same second dose from the same manufacturer of the first. Both are
equally effective and stop the spread of virus in the same way, so the people
should take whichever vaccine is available to them.

Q4. Is the COVID-19 vaccine a live virus?
A4. The mRNA vaccines are not a live virus.

Q8. When should I get the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine?
How will I remember?
A8. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine require two doses to promote a full
immune response. The second dose of the Pfizer vaccine should be administered
21 days after the first dose, and the Moderna vaccine should be administered 28
days after the first dose. The ALERT IIS vaccine system will help make sure you
get a reminder.

Q9. Can a person receive the COVID-19 vaccine while they are sick?
A9. Those with mild illness may receive the vaccines with no effect on vaccine
safety or effectiveness. However, it is better that you recover from your illness, with
no symptoms, before getting vaccines to keep from spreading your illness to health
care workers who are administering the vaccine.

Q10. If one spouse or partner qualifies for a vaccine (i.e., over 65, doctor, nurse)
would the other spouse who does not fit qualification criteria also get the
vaccine?
A10. No. There will be very limited quantities of the vaccines in the early days of
distribution, so only those who are in priority groups in the first phases, such as
health care workers, identified workers, older adults and those with underlying
medical conditions will be able to receive the vaccines.

Q11. Are both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine the same amount? Is the second
dose less or more than the first dose?
A11. Both doses are the same amount for the Pfizer vaccine. The Moderna
vaccine also uses two doses that are the same.

Q15. Do I need to be vaccinated in the same county I live in? Or work in?
A15. If you are eligible to receive a vaccination, you are encouraged to get
vaccinated in the county you live in but you can get vaccinated in any county in
Oregon.

Many of you have noticed the tension that has developed between the understandable desire to have children return to school, and the sensible insistence on safe working environments under COVID-19 conditions. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, health experts have advised that individuals avoid the “Three Cs” – Close Contact, Closed Spaces, Crowds. Thankfully, there is a way that some in-person instruction can still take place while meeting health and safety guidelines; ODE calls it LIPI (Limited In-Person Instruction).

According to the Oregon Department of Education, LIPI is when schools operating in the Comprehensive Distance Learning instructional model bring a limited number of students, for limited hours and with specific conditions, on-site. 

Per ODE Guidelines:

• LIPI cohort groups are limited to no more than 20 students.
• Students cannot be part of more than two cohorts (including transportation) in any given week. 
• Any one staff member (even in multiple roles) cannot interact with more than three cohorts in a given day and five in a week. 
• LIPI cannot take the place of any CDL instruction. 

You can read the full Guidance for Limited In-Person Instruction During CDL HERE. 

Your PAT bargaining team has worked over the last three sessions to negotiate the fine points of LIPI activities in PPS. Key to our conversation:

• LIPI instruction will be provided by educators on a voluntary basis. If the District cannot find a volunteer from the regularly employed PAT membership, PPS will open the positions to PAT substitute educators. 
• Volunteers who agree to provide LIPI during teacher-directed time in their regular schedule will be paid at their individual per-diem hourly rate for all lost teacher-directed time, plus for an additional hour per week for time spent planning LIPI sections.
• Educators who volunteer can rescind their volunteer offer if they do not feel safe once they inspect the space provided for LIPI.

We reached conceptual agreement on all points last week and you can look for the final copy of the language attached to the next Bargaining Brief.

Join Teaching for Change and Howard University’s School of Education for a virtual curriculum fair featuring workshops, keynote speakers, and time for educators to learn more about the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, taking place February 1-5, 2021. This virtual event is free for educators and takes place on January 30th from 8:00am-10:30am. Register here for this awesome opportunity-  this might fill up fast, so register soon! 

If you are interested in planning for Black History Month and Black Lives Matter Week of Action/Year of Purpose with the Racial Equity Committee and the Social Justice and Community Outreach Committee, please fill out this interest form. 

For the third consecutive year, OEA will be hosting a Winter Recharge retreat for aspiring educators and early career educators. This is an event tailored to the needs of aspiring educators and professionals in the first few years of their career.  

This year, the event will be held virtually in a new, more flexible format on January 30th, 2021, with content offerings available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  

This is an opportunity to network with educators across the state in roles of mutual support, and delve into professional development opportunities which best suit your current role and goals for your career in education. This is one of many professional development supports that OEA offers its members. Please check out the OEA website for additional opportunities.  

For more information and to register for the Winter Retreat please click here. 

The PAT office and Advocacy Cadre will be closed Monday, January 18th to observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Watch “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” A Broadcast Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., Monday, January 18, 2021

January Committees Meeting, RSVP Here

• Substitute, Jan. 20, 4:30-6:30pm
• Advocacy, *Re-scheduled* Jan. 21, 4:30-6:30pm
• Membership, Jan. 21, 4:30-5:30pm
• Legislative, Jan. 21, 5:00-7:00pm
• IPD, *Re-scheduled* Jan. 22, 4:30-6:30pm
• Racial Equity, Jan. 27, 4:30-6:30pm 
• SJCO, Jan. 27, 4:30-6:30pm

See the PAT Calendar for more

Sent to PAT Members 1/7/2021: See the PDF here.

Dear Educator,

First, I want to acknowledge that the violence and disruption of the peaceful transition of power in Washington DC yesterday has been rightfully pulling our attention away from "normalcy" this week. Educators play an important role in helping students process these events and helping students learn about this moment in our nation's history - thank you.

Meanwhile, conversations across the state continue about the appropriate timeline to safely open schools for in-person instruction. 

I wanted to share the attached letter, regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and returning to in-person instruction, from the presidents of the Portland Association of Teachers, the Beaverton Education Association, the Salem Keizer Education Association, the Hillsboro Education Association, and the Eugene Education Association. The text of the letter is below.

Elizabeth Thiel, PAT President
http://www.pdxteachers.org/

Donate up to 40 hours of your sick-leave to help a colleague in need.

Last school year, PAT members helped dozens of colleagues in need thanks to contributions to the PAT Sick Leave Bank.  These colleagues had exhausted their accumulated leave balances, but were unable to work due to extended or recurring personal illness. With the help of the Sick Leave Bank, they avoided the additional hardships of lost salary and lost insurance coverage.

Thanks to your generosity, last year we met our goal of collecting the maximum number of voluntarily donated hours allowed under our contract. Recent improvements in our contract (CBA Article 17.2.1.2.F) mean that we can now fulfill almost all applications for assistance prior to running out of Sick Leave Bank hours.  This shows the District that PAT members act on their belief that an injury to one is an injury to all.

It’s a new school year, with new needs, and a new Bank to fill. We can accept up to 4000 hours and have a long way to go to reach that goal. 

This year, it is easier than ever to donate hours: you can donate hours by filling out this online form! You will need to log in with your PPS email account and include your PPS employee ID number on the form.

Thank you for being part of this crucial program that allows us to support our colleagues through our union.