Nearly 1 in 5 Alaskans, or 19.8% of the state’s population, has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the state’s vaccine monitoring dashboard. As of Tuesday, 12.2%, or more than 1 in 10, have received both doses.
Alaska continues to lead the nation in vaccine rollout. According to NPR’s COVID vaccine tracker, 13.3% of people nationwide have received at least one vaccine dose. The state with the second-highest rate is New Mexico, where 19.1% of the population has received at least one dose.
On the Kenai Peninsula Borough, 9,969 of the 47,102 people who are 16 and older, or about 21.2%, have received at least one dose of their vaccine. 5,418, or about 11.5%, have received both doses.
And more vaccines are on the way.
State health officials said during a Monday press briefing that they are expecting to learn their March vaccine allocation this week and that U.S. Food and Drug Administration is meeting Friday to discuss Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. If the FDA approves Johnson & Johnson’s application for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), theirs would be the third COVID-19 vaccine to enter the market and could arrive in Alaska as early as next week. Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, unlike Pfizer and Moderna’s, only has one dose.
How to get vaccinated
As of Tuesday, people eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Alaska included most health care providers, pre-K through 12th grade education staff, people 65 or older, people 50 or older with certain high-risk medical conditions and pandemic response staff among others. People interested in receiving their COVID vaccine can determine whether or not they are eligible to receive it at covidvax.alaska.gov.
People who would like assistance with scheduling an appointment to be vaccinated can call the Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management call center. The center operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The central peninsula call center can be reached at 907-262-4636. The Homer call center can be reached at 907-235-4636. The Seward call center can be reached at 907-224-4636.
The City of Kenai is offering transportation to and from vaccine clinics located in Kenai in partnership with CARTS and Alaska Cab. The city council approved $5,000 for the program at its Jan. 20 meeting. Rides will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis until the budgeted funds run out. In order to participate in the program, people must be going from an address located in Kenai to a clinic in Kenai and will need to provide proof of vaccination.
A map of vaccine providers can be found on DHSS’ COVID-19 vaccine website at covidvax.alaska.gov. Many providers are using the state’s program to schedule appointments, which can be accessed at myhealth.alaska.gov. Instructions on how to schedule an appointment with a provider that does not use the state’s scheduling system can be found on the provider map by clicking on the icon of the provider through which people would like to schedule an appointment. Appointments at Walmart can be scheduled at walmart.com/covidvaccine.
By the numbers
Fifty-eight new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state on Tuesday, including two that were reported among nonresidents. Five cases were reported on the Kenai Peninsula, including three in Kenai, one in Homer and one in Sterling.
Nine new hospitalizations and no new deaths were also reported, bringing statewide totals to 1,222 and 287, respectively. On Tuesday, there were 38 people hospitalized due to COVID-19, including three who were considered persons under investigation. Five of the patients were on ventilators.
In addition to the five new cases reported on the Kenai Peninsula, the state also reported 18 cases in Anchorage, 13 in Wasilla, four in Fairbanks, four in Palmer, four in Petersburg, two in Dillingham and one each in Eagle River, Juneau, Kodiak, North Pole, Sitka and Unalaska. Two nonresident cases were also reported in Unalaska.
COVID-19 testing locations on the Kenai Peninsula
On the central peninsula, testing is available at Capstone Family Clinic, K-Beach Medical, Soldotna Professional Pharmacy, Central Peninsula Urgent Care, Peninsula Community Health Services, Urgent Care of Soldotna, the Kenai Public Health Center and Odyssey Family Practice. Call Kenai Public Health at 907-335-3400 for information on testing criteria for each location.
In Homer, testing is available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at the lower level of South Peninsula Hospital’s Specialty Clinic as well as through SVT Health & Wellness clinics in Homer, Seldovia and Anchor Point. Call ahead at the hospital at 907-235-0235 and at the SVT clinics at 907-226-2228. Testing is also available at Homer Public Health Center daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In Ninilchik, NTC Community Clinic is providing testing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The testing is only for those traveling, symptomatic, needing testing for medical procedures, or with a known exposure after seven days. Only 20 tests will be offered per day. To make an appointment to be tested at the NTC Community Clinic, call 907-567-3970.
In Seward, testing is available at Providence Seward, Seward Community Health Center, Glacier Family Medicine and North Star Health Clinic.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
