(SitNews) Juneau, Alaska - Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy today announced effective immediately the COVID-19 vaccine is available for all individuals who live or work in Alaska and are age 16 and older, making Alaska the first state in the nation to remove eligibility requirements.

“This historic step is yet another nationwide first for Alaska, but it should come as no surprise. Since day one, your response to the pandemic has been hands-down the best in the nation,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy. 

Dunleavy said, “I couldn’t be prouder of Alaska’s response. From being the first state to offer widespread testing, to maintaining one of the lowest mortality rates in the country, to rolling out vaccinations to every willing Alaskan, we got here by working together.”

“It is a great day for Alaskans wanting to receive the COVID-19 vaccine,” said Adam Crum, Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. "

Crum said, “I want to thank Governor Dunleavy for this opportunity and if Alaskans had any questions about vaccine eligibility and criteria, I hope today’s announcement clears it up for you, simply put, you are eligible to get the vaccine.”

The Pfizer vaccine is available to individuals who are 16 and older, while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and the Moderna vaccine are available to individuals who are 18 and older. All three authorized vaccines have shown to be very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death caused by COVID-19.

Regions including Kodiak Island, the Petersburg Borough, and the Kusilvak Census Area are nearing or exceeding 90% vaccination rates among seniors. In the Nome Census Area, over 60% of residents age 16 and over have received at least one shot, and roughly 291,000 doses have been administered statewide.

“A healthy community means a healthy economy. With widespread vaccinations available to all Alaskans who live or work here, we will no doubt see our economy grow and our businesses thrive,” said Governor Dunleavy.

Ketchikan:

The EOC and Ketchikan Public Health Center are hosting public COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics.

The first clinic will be March 16 and 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Ted Ferry Civic Center. The second clinic will be at the Saxman Community Center on March 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. These clinics are available to anyone age 18 or above through pre-scheduled appointments made online or by phone.  

This allocation of 1,500 doses of Moderna vaccine was provided to the Ketchikan EOC through a generous donation by the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC). In partnering with the Ketchikan EOC, SEARHC continues to demonstrate a commitment to the health and well-being of our region. 

Appointments will be filled on a first come-first serve basis. Appointments for these clinics can be scheduled online or by phone:

1.     Schedule online at http://covidvax.alaska.gov. 

• Skip to step 2 - Find a COVID-19 vaccine provider.
• Scroll down to Option B - in search bar type "Ketchikan."
• Select the Ted Ferry Civic Center or Saxman Community Center location.
• Pick the day of your choice then the time of your choice.
• Finish by following prompts.

2.     Call 907-646-3322 for assistance with scheduling an appointment. The call line is now staffed Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. and 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on weekends.

After you’ve scheduled your appointment, here’s what to expect at the clinic:

• Arrive at your scheduled time. Do not arrive early. Wait in your vehicle until your appointment time.
• Follow the signage for walking into the clinic site.
• Plan to complete a form upon arrival prior to receiving the vaccine.
• Plan to stay for a 15-minute observation period after receiving the vaccine.
• During the observation period you will be asked to schedule your 2nd dose appointment four weeks later. 

On the Web:

Current information on the response to COVID-19 in Ketchikan, including additional local vaccine information, is provided at www.kgbak.us/covid19.  

Visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 1-907-646-3322 for more information and to sign up for a COVID-19 vaccination.

Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Ketchikan EOC
www.kgbak.us/covid19

Office of the Governor
www.gov.alaska.gov

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

SitNews ©2021
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews are considered protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper freelance writers and subscription services. E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.