Alaska will become the first state in the country to open the COVID-19 vaccination to anyone aged 16 and over, officials announced on Tuesday, closing a rapid implementation of vaccines that capitalize on tens of thousands of extra doses sent and administered by tribal health professionals.
Governor Mike Dunleavy announced increased eligibility in a statement prepared on Tuesday afternoon, with a news conference scheduled for the end of the evening. It is effective immediately, officials said. Anyone who lives or works in Alaska is qualified.
“I couldn’t be more proud of Alaska’s response,” Dunleavy said in the statement. “Since being the first state to offer widespread testing, to maintain one of the lowest mortality rates in the country, to launch vaccines for all Alaskans, we have arrived here working together.”
Watch the governor’s press conference
Health officials in the past few days suggested they could take such a step, suggesting that the vaccine’s hesitation and confusion over previously expanded eligibility guidelines were leaving unfulfilled appointments across the state.
About a quarter of Alaska’s inhabitants received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, giving the state one of the country’s highest vaccination rates. In many rural communities, vaccination rates far exceed 50%, with some villages reaching 90% or more.
The Alaskan-sponsored distribution effort saw a huge boost from its tribal health partners, who received separate shipments of vaccines through a unique partnership with the federal government – with the aim of recognizing the sovereign status of both tribes and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Native Alaskan Peoples.
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A series of national news outlets has shown the success of parallel vaccination efforts, which have leveraged wild planes, snow machines and boats to deliver doses to remote Alaskan communities in the dead of winter.
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Until last week, the state limited vaccination to health professionals, teachers and people aged 50 and over who worked in certain essential frontline positions or suffered from certain pre-existing health problems.
But last week, driven by a huge increase in the number of vaccines sent to the state, officials announced that vaccinations would be open to a much broader group: all essential workers, anyone aged 55 and over, and anyone with a health problem that could put them at high risk for serious COVID-19 disease.
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Even after that announcement, however, hundreds of nominations have not been completed in Anchorage and other parts of the state.
Now, consultations will be open to anyone over 16, although 16 and 17 year olds are only eligible for the vaccine manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, as the other two vaccines on the market are authorized only for people over 18 .
You can find more information about vaccine eligibility and schedule appointments through the state’s vaccines website.
This is breaking news – check back for updates.