OAKRIDGE, Ore. --- The city of Oakridge held its first mass vaccination clinic at the Oakridge Fire Department on Saturday. Around 160 first doses were administered to eligible seniors 75 years and older.

This event was in partnership with Orchid Health, fire department volunteers and local pharmacies. 

Oakridge residents who received their shots said they have been waiting a long time for this moment. 

"I kept thinking when is it going to be my turn?" Oakridge resident Barbara Pederson said. "I've just been waiting and waiting for this."

Oakridge Mayor Kathy Holston said they are ahead of schedule. She said everyone in phase 1A including educators have been offered their first dose of the vaccine. 

"Rural communities can take care of ourselves, as long as we have the resources," Holston said.

The city of Oakridge plans on holding mass vaccination clinics at the fire department every two weeks. However, officials said this depends on the allocation given to them from Lane County Public Health.

KEZI reached out to Lane County Public Health about vaccination clinics on Saturday. But due to under staffing, the clinics were not open for the media to attend. However, they said 67,000 booster shot appointments originally scheduled for Saturday through Tuesday, were postponed for the following week. This is due to a delay in shipment from the winter storm. 

It is important to note that first dose clinics were not postponed, only booster ones.

Thousands of eligible seniors and hundreds of remaining educators were booked for first doses this weekend in Lane County.