More than 3,500 first-dose COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed by appointment at seven or more locations across Deschutes County during the week of March 8.

The focus starting Monday will be reaching older adults and vulnerable populations that have had difficulty making it to the vaccination clinic at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, which will be closed for part of next week to accommodate the Central Oregon Sportsmen’s Show at the fairgrounds.

Eligible groups include adults 65 and older, as well as residents who are health care providers, EMS providers, law enforcement, caretakers of medically fragile children, those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, child care providers and early learning and K-12 educators and staff.

Vaccines will be distributed at the following locations:

• Deschutes County Health Services Vaccine Clinic in Bend and the La Pine Senior Center in La Pine.

The county will call eligible residents who have completed a county vaccine interest form until appointment times have been filled.

• Mosaic Medical, Summit/BMC and Sisters Drug will reach out directly to schedule appointments for patients 65 and older.

• Fred Meyer in Bend and Redmond will provide appointments to eligible residents.

For information about appointments, call 866-211-5320 or visit the website fredmeyer.com/covidvaccine.

• Some retail pharmacies in Central Oregon are offering the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible groups through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.

Appointments can be made at vaccinefinder.org.

As of Friday, Deschutes County has vaccinated nearly half of residents 65 or older and 80% of residents 75 or older.

The county is encouraging residents to fill out a vaccination interest form, available at vaccine.deschutes.org.

Those who need assistance in filling out the form can call 541-699-5109 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.