COVID19 – Page 5 – City and Borough of Juneau

Ages 50 and up can get a second COVID-19 booster

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received an initial booster dose at least 4 months ago to get another mRNA booster – Pfizer or Moderna – to increase their protection against severe disease from COVID-19. The Juneau Public Health Center offers free Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines every Friday through April. Make an appointment at juneau.org/vaccine or call 907-586-6000, or walk in and register on site from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday.

“This is especially important for those 65 and older and those 50 and older with underlying medical conditions that increase their risk for severe disease from COVID-19 as they are the most likely to benefit from receiving an additional booster dose at this time. CDC, in collaboration with FDA and our public health partners, will continue to evaluate the need for additional booster doses for all Americans,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a March 29 media statement.

In addition, based on newly published data, adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Data continue to show the importance of vaccination and booster doses to protect individuals both from infection and severe outcomes of COVID-19. During the recent Omicron surge, those who were boosted were 21-times less likely to die from COVID-19 compared to those who were unvaccinated, and 7-times less likely to be hospitalized, according to CDC. CDC continues to recommend that all eligible adults, adolescents, and children 5 and older be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, which includes getting an initial booster when eligible.

Other COVID-19 vaccine providers in Juneau are Capstone Clinic at the Juneau airport, Costco Pharmacy, Genoa Healthcare, Juneau Urgent & Family Care, Safeway, and SEARHC.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 907-586-6000.

March 31st, 2022|

Juneau schools go mask optional starting Monday

Starting Monday, April 4, masks will be optional for most people in the Juneau School District and on school buses. The City and Borough of Juneau’s overall community risk level is currently Level 1 Minimal, and has been since February 28. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Juneau is at a Medium COVID-19 Community Level.

The Juneau Board of Education approved the following mask policy language on March 10:

“Effective April 4, assuming CDC community level remains Medium or Low, masks, or similar facial coverings designed to mitigate COVID-19 transmission and are well-fitted covering the mouth and nose, are optional for all persons indoors in Juneau School District facilities and on school grounds. The Superintendent has the authority to require face masks in certain situations consistent with CDC guidelines.”

Please note the following:

Optional Mask Wearing: People may choose to mask indoors in JSD facilities or outdoors on school district grounds at any time. It is an individual decision that students, staff members, and visitors are free to make without judgment. Parents who wish their child to wear a mask should communicate directly with their child about the expectation. In general, staff members are not able to enforce different rules for different students. If an individual is at high risk for severe illness, they should contact their healthcare provider about the need to wear a mask or take other precautions.
Masks Required: Masks will remain required in settings where the COVID-19 vaccine is not yet available for students. This includes the Integrated Pre-K classes, Kinder Ready, and Montessori Borealis’ Children’s House.
Mitigation Practices: The school district will continue to operate symptom-free schools, provide testing for all staff and student activities, follow test to stay protocols and provide masks to individuals who choose to wear them. Everyone is encouraged to test if they have symptoms.

See the complete JSD Mask Policy to see guidance for confirmed cases and for exposure or close contact situations.

For more information, go to juneauschools.org, or contact your school.

March 30th, 2022|

Public Health offers free Pfizer & Moderna COVID-19 vaccines & boosters every Fri. in April

The Juneau Public Health Center will continue to offer free Flu & COVID-19 vaccines to individuals ages 5 to adult every Friday through April. Pfizer and, newly added, Moderna vaccines are available. Simply walk in and register on site from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you prefer to make an appointment, go to juneau.org/vaccine or call 907-586-6000. The Juneau Public Health Center is located at 3412 Glacier Highway, across the street from the Twin Lakes parking lot.

Individuals who are up to date with vaccinations are more protected against severe illness from COVID-19. The Juneau Public Health Center offers first and second Pfizer and Moderna doses, as well as Pfizer and Moderna boosters. If you fall into any of these categories, you are encouraged to attend the clinic:

Anyone ages 5 and up who needs a first or second Pfizer vaccine dose. Individuals age 18 and up can receive a Moderna primary series.
Individuals 12 to 17 who need a booster. Pfizer boosters can be administered at least 5 months after the initial Pfizer series.
Individuals ages 18 and up who received an initial Pfizer or Moderna series, and need a booster. Either Pfizer or Moderna boosters can be administered at least 5 months after an initial series.
Individuals ages 18 and up who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and need a booster. Either Pfizer or Moderna boosters can be administered at least 2 months after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Additional booster doses (beyond the first) are not yet approved and will not be available at these clinics. Those who are interested in the scientific discussion on this process may wish to watch the April 6 meeting of the FDA’s Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting.

For more information on getting a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, go to juneau.org/vaccine or call 907-586-6000.

March 25th, 2022|

CBJ is distributing CareStart COVID-19 self-tests. They expire June 30.

The City and Borough of Juneau is distributing COVID-19 antigen home tests to the general public from these locations:

City Hall cash office
All Juneau Public Libraries (Downtown, Mendenhall Valley, and Douglas)
Juneau Public Health Center, 3412 Glacier Highway (across the street from Twin Lakes parking lot)
Juneau Police Department, 6255 Alaway Avenue

The tests at these locations are CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Home Tests, which have a printed expiration date on the box of March 2022. In fact, the CareStart test kits that CBJ is distributing all expire on June 30, 2022. This is based on approval from the Food and Drug Administration to extend the test’s shelf life expiration date from 6 to 9 months.

The CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Home Test is made by Access Bio. The FDA’s approval to extend the shelf life to 9 months when stored at 34–86°F is based on the results of Access Bio’s stability studies. Access Bio submitted real-time stability data on December 1, 2021, and the FDA granted nine months of shelf-life for the test as of January 20, 2022.

To reiterate: Despite the printed shelf life on the CareStart COVID-19 Antigen Home Test being March 2022, FDA says the test will actually last until June 30, 2022.

For more information, contact [email protected].

March 15th, 2022|

Application for statewide homeowner assistance open now thru April 4

Homeowners in Juneau experiencing financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for assistance through the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation’s Alaska Housing Homeowner Assistance. The application period opened today, March 14, and closes April 4 at 11:59 p.m. Apply now at AlaskaHousingRelief.org.

The program may be able to help with mortgage payments, property taxes and utilities, insurance premiums, and homeowner association dues. Homeowners must not exceed certain income limits, must occupy the property as their primary residence, and be able to demonstrate that financial hardships are directly related to circumstances associated with COVID-19.

AHFC will disperse funds on behalf of the applicant to their mortgage servicer, land contract holder, manufactured/mobile home lender, condominium/homeowners association, local taxing authority, and utility providers. A list of eligible expenses and use criteria is available on the program’s website.

Additional information is available by reviewing this fact sheet, reading these FAQs, or by contacting AHFC’s Call Center at 1-833-330-8290 toll free.

Funding for the Alaska Housing Homeowner Assistance comes from the U.S. Treasury. The State of Alaska received $50 million from the national Homeowner Assistance Fund, established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

March 14th, 2022|