ENTERPRISE — The Wallowa County Health Care District has given more 2,100 first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and has fully vaccinated close to 1,500 individuals in the county, Wallowa Memorial Hospital Communications Director Brooke Pace said.

In updating the Chieftain on the status of the vaccine in the county Monday, April 5, she said that there had been 1,804 first doses already administered, and about 340 more shots were being given during a clinic Tuesday. That would put the county at 2,144 initial doses given through the health district. Sixty more first shots are still on hand.

In addition to that, 1,350 people have been fully vaccinated through the WCHCD with both doses of the two-shot Moderna vaccine. Another 100 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine have also been given.

More second doses are slated to be given next week.

“We’ve been saving back second doses as they have been coming in,” Pace said. “Right now, we have 250 second-dose vaccines on hand that will be given at an April 13 vaccine clinic.”

Pace said the health district, as of late Monday morning, had actually exhausted its current waitlist of those eligible for a vaccine.

The count she gave “is everyone in Phase 1B, Groups 1-7, as well as Phase 2, Group 1,” who currently wants a vaccine, she said.

“As you can tell by the numbers, we are really beginning to reach a period where the majority of people who are interested in being vaccinated (have been),” she said.

In fact, with where things sit in terms of its waitlist and on-hand vaccine — Pace said she expects the district will receive 500 more first-doses this week — it will be moving next week to what she said are “smaller, more frequent vaccine pods.” Rather than the large clinics at the Cloverleaf Hall it has been doing throughout the year to this point, they will have options available for people to get vaccinated at one of the Wallowa Memorial clinics throughout the county.

“This will give people more options on when and where they can get the vaccine,” she said. “We’ll be releasing a schedule next week of when and where.”

At Safeway in Enterprise, the staff has given out more than 500 doses of the Moderna vaccine between first and second doses, Pharmacy Manager Nancy Stangel said Monday, and the staff is continuing to work through its progression.

“They said we could go ahead and vaccinate our workers (in the store). We are right there with where the guidelines are,” Stangel said.

The pharmacy had previously given out all of its initial allotment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, of which the store received about 200 doses, according to a previous Chieftain article.

At Winding Waters Medical Clinic, CEO Nic Powers said the clinic has given 177 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after receiving authorization last week to do so, and is taking calls for appointments for the remainder of its supply.

“So far it’s all gone smoothly,” he said. “We haven’t had any adverse reactions. At this point we do not have a waitlist. We are keeping up with demand on shots in the clinic, and a mobile (station) in the parking lot. We do ask that people call ahead.”

Pace said the next step for the health district is to move into Phase 2, Group 2, which would open eligibility to anyone age 18 and older who wants the vaccine. She said the hospital is taking calls at 541-426-5437 for anyone 18 or older who wants to be vaccinated.

Early Tuesday morning, the state announced it intends to expand eligibility to anyone 16 and older on April 19.

Anyone eligible who wants to schedule with Winding Waters for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can call 541-426-4502. Powers said there are 123 more doses on hand, but expects more to be arriving soon.

To schedule with Safeway, visit the website at safeway.com.