Alaskan Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) speaks at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 16, 2020, during an event on Overturning Regulations to Help All Americans on the South Lawn at the White House on July 16 2020 in Washington DC.
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images
On Tuesday, Alaska became the first state to make Covid vaccines available to anyone aged 16 and over who works or lives in the state, with immediate effect.
“This historic step is yet another national innovation for Alaska,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy in a statement, adding that he “couldn’t be more proud” of Alaska’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Alaska’s move comes at a time when other states are launching vaccines for high-risk populations, such as the elderly, frontline workers and those with underlying medical conditions.
The state health department reported an accumulated total of 57,304 resident cases, 2,461 non-resident cases and 301 deaths.
Alaska began administering vaccines to healthcare professionals and nursing home residents in December, before gradually expanding phased eligibility.
The state says it has administered more than 290,000 doses so far with at least 119,000 people fully vaccinated. This means that about 23.6% of the Alaskan population received at least one dose and 16.4% were fully vaccinated, according to the state’s vaccine panel.
The governor’s office recalled that some regions are already close to 90% of vaccination rates among the elderly.
“A healthy community means a healthy economy. With widespread vaccination available to all Alaskans living or working here, we will undoubtedly see our economy grow and our businesses thrive,” said Dunleavy.