The Southcentral Foundation announced on Monday that it has started offering COVID-19 vaccination consultations at its Anchorage vaccine clinic for people aged 40 and over, as well as child caregivers and K-12 educators.
In an email to the foundation’s staff early Monday morning, April Kyle, the foundation’s president and CEO, said the decision to expand eligibility was based on a “careful review” of the March vaccine supply.
Now qualified Alaska residents can visit vax.nuka.com to apply. Kyle’s e-mail said that appointments would be limited to ensure that the vaccine remained available to “client-owners”, the foundation’s tribal beneficiaries.
“It is exciting to be a part of the success of the Alaskan vaccine, offering more vaccine to the community while ensuring that all owner-owners and family members remain eligible for the vaccine,” said Kyle.
The number of queries that the Southcentral Foundation will provide on a daily basis is likely to fluctuate based on demand, and the slots will continue to be reserved for client owners and family members, said Dr. Bob Onders, administrator of Alaska Native Medical Center, during a call with reporters on Monday.
“They are up to about 1,000 consultations a day that will be delivered,” he said. “In a few days there may be more and it will vary from day to day,” he said.
The organization reports that it has vaccinated at least 19,000 people so far.
The announcement comes in the wake of the state news that it would receive 70% more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in March than in February. Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s medical director, said last week that the increase in anticipated vaccine doses is due to increased vaccine production.
The 103,120 first doses of the vaccine that will arrive in Alaska in March include 36,290 doses allocated by the Indian Health Service to Alaska’s 229 sovereign tribes and 66,830 doses allocated to the entire state by the federal government.
According to the state’s general vaccine eligibility guidelines, those currently eligible to receive the vaccine in Alaska include: most health care professionals with direct contact with the patient, the elderly, those who help the elderly to get an injection, educators and his support team, Alaskans aged 50 and over with a high-risk medical condition, essential frontline workers aged 50 and over who work closely with other people and people who live or work in congregational settings.
However, the Southcentral Foundation is a health organization owned by Alaskan natives, which means that it receives its quota from the Indigenous Health Service and can decide the vaccine’s eligibility separately from the layers of the state.
So far, Alaska has vaccinated more residents per capita than any other state, mainly because of its robust tribal health system, which has been able to vaccinate large sections of the population quickly and efficiently.
In many small communities – including Sitka and most villages – anyone interested in Alaska over the age of 16 may have a chance.
SCF “has already offered vaccines to groups, including teachers, Alaskan police, Anchorage police, McLaughlin Youth Center employees, people who are incarcerated and people who live without a home,” the organization said in its announcement.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.