PORTLAND, Ore. — COVID-19 has claimed 13 more lives in Oregon, raising the state’s death toll to 1,150, reports The Oregon Health Authority. 

The Oregon Health Authority responded to the news of The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issuing the first emergency use authorization on Dec. 11th for a vaccine to prevent COVID-19.

Officials say the vaccine, made by Pfizer-BioNTech, was found to be 95% effective in Phase 3 clinical trials that involved more than 40,000 participants and caused only mild, temporary side effects, including pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain and fever. 

OHA says it is working with all hospitals are care providers in efforts to connect with individuals and organizations representing communities of color, tribal communities and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a diverse Vaccine Advisory Committee that is co-creating a vaccine distribution plan centering on the experiences of these populations. 

“This is truly an historic moment that we should celebrate,” said Patrick Allen, OHA director. “But we’re far from being out of the woods in this pandemic. For most of us, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is several months away, and in that time we will see more cases and, tragically, more deaths. Everyone should have the opportunity to get the vaccine when it becomes available, so we need to keep doing our part to protect our families, our neighbors and ourselves by doubling down on the basic actions that keep the virus from spreading.”