Alaska on Wednesday announced a major expansion of its list of eligible COVID-19 vaccines. It now includes Alaskan people aged 55 and over, as well as people over 16 who are essential workers, live in multi-generation homes, are considered “high risk” for serious illnesses or live in a community where homes are not have water and sewage system.
The new eligible group can now apply for a vaccine appointment, health department officials said in a statement on Wednesday morning.
“Although vaccine supply remains limited, we are offering it to groups that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, who are at risk of serious illness or death or who work in essential jobs,” said Dr. Anne’s chief medical officer. Zink said in a statement.
The state expects 103,120 first doses this month of vaccine from pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna, which includes funds for the Indian Health Service and an additional budget for February, officials said.
In addition, Alaska is expected to receive 8,900 doses of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine – administered with a single injection – in the next two weeks, officials said.
“Expanding the vaccine’s eligibility to reach more people is significant in protecting Alaska and reopening Alaska and in the recovery and prosperity of our economy,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy in the statement.
Those already qualified for a vaccine include most health professionals, people aged 65 and over, people living and working in congregated settings, some pandemic responders, and people aged 50 and over who have a high-risk medical condition or work on essential work.
Health officials said in the statement that the new group of eligible Alaskans includes “anyone who has a medical condition that puts a person at ‘high risk’ or ‘may be at high risk’ for serious COVID-19 disease, according to the CDC, or that is considered high risk by a person’s medical provider. ”
Newly eligible are people living in multigenerational families, including families with three or more generations or “skipped generations”, such as a grandchild living with an elder, officials said in the statement.
Needy communities are defined as places where many homes lack water and sewage, health officials said.
In addition, in Anchorage, Alaskans aged 40 and over can now be vaccinated through the Southcentral Foundation, the health organization said on Monday. The Southcentral Foundation is a health organization owned by Alaskan natives, which means it receives its quota from the Indigenous Health Service and can decide on the vaccine’s eligibility separately from the layers of the state.
Officials urged those qualified to regularly check nominations as more will be added.