Vaccine Advisory Committee debates order of priority groups Oregon's Vaccine Advisory Committee debated if people of color or those with chronic conditions should be prioritized in its recommendations on Thursday. Posted: Jan 22, 2021 10:50 AM Updated: Jan 22, 2021 11:01 AM Posted By: Chris Lueneburg PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon's Vaccine Advisory Committee debated Thursday over whether people of color or those with chronic conditions should be prioritized in its recommendations. The VAC is charged with recommending to Oregon Health Authority the sequence of vaccine priority groups after Phase 1b is complete. The committee was directed to prioritize communities through a health equity lens. The group had previously considered prioritizing a wide swath of Oregonians, including incarcerated individuals, multi-generational homes and refugees. At a meeting on Thursday, the VAC whittled down the list to include just two groups: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and people with chronic illnesses.