The Kenai Peninsula Borough generally ranks in the bottom third for the percentage of people vaccinated when compared to all Alaska geographies, but higher than geographies of similar population sizes.
Based on allocations for the State of Alaska, Indian Health Services, the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program and Federally Qualified Health Centers, about 241,000 people in Alaska had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Friday, according to the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Vaccine Monitoring Dashboard.
In showing vaccination rates by location, the state identifies 27 different geographies, including boroughs, census areas and municipalities. The state takes a region’s population numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau.
When compared to geographies with similar population sizes, the Kenai Peninsula Borough falls between Fairbanks North Star Borough, which has a population of about 97,159, and Juneau City and Borough, with a population of about 31,773. The Kenai Peninsula Borough has a population of about 58,934.
In the Kenai Peninsula Borough, roughly 35.75% of people eligible to be vaccinated — people 16 and older — have received at least one vaccine dose. That is higher than Fairbanks North Star Borough at 31.28% and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough at 26.68%, but lower than Anchorage Municipality at 44.11% and Juneau City and Borough at 56.81%.
About 25.83% of people eligible to be vaccinated in the Kenai Peninsula Borough are fully vaccinated. That is, again, higher than Fairbanks North Star Borough and Mat-Su, but lower than Anchorage Municipality and Juneau City and Borough.
Among seniors in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, roughly 62.02% have received at least one dose of the vaccine. That is lower than Anchorage, Mat-Su, and Juneau, but higher than Fairbanks North Star Borough. Considering the percentage of seniors who are fully vaccinated, the peninsula ranks higher than Mat-Su and Fairbanks and lower than Anchorage and Juneau.
Across all age groups, the number of people in the Kenai Peninsula Borough who have received at least one vaccine dose — 28.57% — is less than Juneau — 45.87% — and higher than Fairbanks North Star Borough at 24.43%. It is also lower than Anchorage Municipality, which has a population of about 288,970 and where about 34.56% of people across all age groups have at least one vaccine dose.
Across geographies of all sizes, Skagway Municipality, which has an estimated population of about 1,147, leads in several categories.
Skagway leads the state in the percentage of the eligible population that is fully vaccinated at 65.79%. People currently eligible to be vaccinated in Alaska include residents and workers 16 or older. The Kenai Peninsula Borough ranks 21 out of 27 for that measure — about 25.83% of the peninsula’s eligible population has been vaccinated. That is lower than Anchorage, but higher than Mat-Su.
Across all age groups, including children who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine, Skagway also leads, with 58.76% of the population having received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine. Among Kenai Peninsula Borough residents, 28.57% have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine. The borough ranks 22 out of 27.
The borough also ranks 22 out of 27 for the percentage of seniors who are fully vaccinated. Across 26 of the 27 geographies identified by the state, at least half of each regions’ seniors are fully vaccinated. More than 80% of seniors are fully vaccinated in seven geographies, with Skagway leading at 96.75%.
COVID-19 vaccination data can be found on DHSS’ data dashboards at alaska-coronavirus-vaccine-outreach-alaska-dhss.hub.arcgis.com.
Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.
