Over the 14-day period from June 14 to June 27, there were eight people in Juneau who tested positive for COVID-19 (that’s down from 16 during the previous two weeks):

• 13 percent of the cases were associated with a cluster involving a small daycare. In total, 13 people tested positive and all 13 recovered.
• Public Health attributed 75 percent of cases to secondary transmission, 12.5 percent to out-of-state travel, and 12.5 of the cases remain under investigation. No cases in this 14-day period were attributed to community spread.
• 100 percent of cases were contacted for contact tracing within 24 hours of a positive test being returned.
• There is case positivity among various racial groups (the category of individuals who self-identify as white is highest with 5), and more cases in females than males (75 percent/25 percent).

Four variants of concern have been identified in Juneau (Alpha/B1.1.7, Beta/B.1.351, Gamma/P1, and Delta/B.1.617.2/AY.1).

Vaccine update:

• 66.7 percent of the total population of Juneau has received at least 1 dose of vaccine and 62.9 percent has completed the vaccine series.
• 90 percent of the population in Juneau age 65+ has received at least one dose of vaccine and 88 percent has completed the vaccine series.

Read the full Emergency Operations Center Report, which included this weekly recap, as well as other reports here.

With Fourth of July festivities in Juneau coming up later this week and weekend, the City and Borough of Juneau has this reminder: Individuals who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear masks in crowded outdoor events, like a parade or other event where six feet of social distancing cannot be maintained. This requirement – part of CBJ’s COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies – applies to all children ages 2-11, as well as anyone ages 12 and up who is not fully vaccinated. Kids under 12 are not yet authorized to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

“A portion of our population that loves parades is not protected against COVID-19. So if you are unvaccinated and enjoying the festivities, please mask up. Share the joy and the celebration, not COVID,” Bartlett Regional Hospital Infection Preventionist Charlee Gribbon said.

Gribbon reminds the community that the risk of spreading COVID-19 increases in crowded situations, even outdoors. Though it is not required by CBJ, Gribbon says fully vaccinated individuals may want to wear masks during crowded outdoor events as well, or fully vaccinated parents might want to mask up to support their masked children.

With many travelers in town and Juneau residents who’ve recently traveled, the mask requirement for unvaccinated individuals will also limit the spread of COVID-19 variants. The Delta variant has been confirmed in two Juneau cases from this past month; variants are determined by the State of Alaska Public Health laboratory. Public Health attributed one of the cases to secondary transmission and one to out-of-state travel. Though the cases are unrelated to each other, both have likely out-of-state sources and both had limited to no contact with the general public in Juneau, according to Public Health. The spectrum of mutations in the Delta variant may significantly increase transmissibility and severity of infection in those not vaccinated. This is the fourth type of COVID-19 variant that’s been confirmed in Juneau. Read more about COVID-19 variants in Alaska in the recent Alaska COVID Genomic Surveillance.

Again, individuals who are not fully vaccinated are required to wear masks in crowded outdoor events. Fully vaccinated means two weeks have passed since receiving a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine or the second dose in a two-dose series.

For more information, email [email protected]. To find vaccine availability, go to juneau.org/vaccine.