The Soldotna Professional Pharmacy and Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management offered the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines at the walk-in clinic at Soldotna Prep School on Friday, May 14, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

The Soldotna Professional Pharmacy and Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management offered the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines at the walk-in clinic at Soldotna Prep School on Friday, May 14, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Cases decrease as more get vaccinated, but officials say the pandemic isn’t over yet

Although positive COVID cases are decreasing overall, the state continues to see more of the B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant.

Although COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are falling as more people get vaccinated, Alaska hasn’t yet reached the end of the pandemic, officials with the Alaska State Department of Health and Social Services said Thursday.

Director of Public Health Heidi Hedberg said during a press briefing Thursday that although “the intensity of COVID is waning a little bit,” she doesn’t want people to think the pandemic is over.

State Epidemiologist Joe McLaughlin also said on Thursday that Alaska moved down from the high to intermediate risk level.

“That’s a big milestone,” McLaughlin said during the briefing. “We’re definitely trending down.”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Dr. Jayme Parker with the Alaska State Virology Laboratory said that although positive COVID cases are decreasing overall, her team continues to see more of the B.1.1.7 coronavirus variant, originally detected in the United Kingdom.

“The proportion of specimens that we’re sequencing, we’re seeing more and more B.1.1.7s and less of [other variants],” she said.

According to Parker’s May 2020 situation report on coronavirus variants, the B.1.1.7 is “concerning because it has shown to be significantly more transmissible” (50%) than the original strain of the virus.

Epidemiologist Louisa Castrodale said on Thursday that officials will learn more about the variants as they continue studying their effects in more people.

“I think we’re just kind of riding this wave to figure out when is there a meaningful change for either public health recommendations or vaccination recommendations,” she said.

This data comes just over a week after the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use in children ages 12 to 15.

DHSS Immunization Program Manager Matthew Bobo said on Thursday that 2,925 newly eligible 12- to 15-year-olds have gotten their first shot.

DHSS is still working to educate Alaskans about the shots and make them easily accessible through the state’s “Sleeves Up For Summer” campaign, which aims to increase vaccination rates by 25% in each census region before June 1.

In an effort to promote COVID-19 vaccination on the peninsula, DHSS officials will be at the kickoff of the Levitt AMP free concert series in Soldotna Creek Park on May 26 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Director of Public Health Heidi Hedberg’s last name.

More in News

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
King salmon fishing on Kasilof to close Thursday

If any king salmon is caught while fishing for other species, they may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Un’a, a female sea otter pup who was admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center in June 2025, plays with an enrichment toy at the center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list.

James Wardlow demonstrates flilleting a salmon with an ulu during a smoked salmon demonstration, part of Fish Week 2023, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Refuge to celebrate all things fish during weeklong event

Fish Week will take place July 16-19.

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Former KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes speaks during a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District budget development meeting at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School district finance department earns national awards

The two awards are based on comprehensive reviews of the district’s budget and financial reporting.

Children leap forward to grab candy during a Fourth of July parade on South Willow Street in Kenai, Alaska, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy Sarah Every)
Celebrating the 4th in the streets

Kenai comes out for annual Independence Day parade.

Fire crews respond to the Bruce Fire, July 4, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Alaska Division of Forestry)
Firefighting crews respond to wildfire outside Soldotna

The 8-acre fire and two “spot fires” of less than one acre each are located near Mile 102 and 103 of the Sterling Highway.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in