State reports 14 new COVID-19 cases for Juneau

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) reports 14 new residents in the Juneau community identified with COVID-19 for October 26. There are currently five people with COVID-19 hospitalized at Bartlett Regional Hospital. No one from the Juneau School District has tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday.

Juneau Public Health reports these generalized case trends for the past week:

  • There is one cluster in a group of kids
  • As of the end of last week, there were no active cases at Lemon Creek Correctional Center
  • Many Juneau cases from this weekend were known contacts (mostly household or non-household family) to existing cases

Statewide, DHSS reports 753 new people identified with COVID-19 – 749 are residents and four are nonresidents. The state also reports 11 recent deaths – 10 resident deaths and one nonresident – bringing the total number of resident deaths to 688 and nonresident deaths to 26:

  • a male Anchorage resident in his 50s
  • a male Anchorage resident in his 80s
  • a female Anchorage resident in her 90s
  • a male Anchorage resident in his 60s
  • a female Anchorage resident in her 60s
  • a female Anchorage resident in her 90s
  • a male Fairbanks resident in his 50s
  • a male North Pole resident in his 70s
  • a male Fairbanks resident in his 80s
  • a female North Pole resident in her 70s
  • a nonresident man in his 50s died in Fairbanks

Alaska has had 130,482 cumulative resident cases of COVID-19 and a total of 5,214 nonresidents.

Juneau vaccine update:

  • 72.9 percent of the total population of Juneau has received at least 1 dose of vaccine and 69.2 percent has completed the vaccine series.
  • 94.5 percent of the population in Juneau age 65+ has received at least one dose of vaccine and 91.2 percent has completed the vaccine series.

For more information, read CBJ’s Emergency Operations Center Reports here.

October 26th, 2021|

Boosters for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week officially endorsed booster shots for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines for certain populations. Pfizer boosters were already endorsed last month.

For individuals who received a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot 6 months or more after their initial series:

  • 65 years and older
  • Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
  • Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
  • Age 18+ who work in high-risk settings, like first responders (e.g., healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff); education staff (e.g., teachers, support staff, daycare workers); food and agriculture workers; manufacturing workers; corrections workers; U.S. Postal Service workers; public transit workers; grocery store workers
  • Age 18+ who live in high-risk settings

For individuals who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are recommended for those who are 18 and older, and who were vaccinated two or more months ago. There are no other eligibility requirements.

Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type they originally received while others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots. That means:

  • Eligible individuals who received a Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can get a booster dose of Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson 6 months after their initial vaccine series.
  • Individuals ages 18 and up who received a Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine can get a booster dose of Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson 2 months after their initial dose.

For more information, email [email protected].

October 26th, 2021|

State reports 45 new COVID-19 cases for Juneau Oct. 23 thru 25

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) reports 45 new individuals in the Juneau community – 44 residents and one nonresident – identified with COVID-19 for October 23 thru 25. According to Juneau Public Health, there are about 148 active cases (down from 205 on Friday). Of those, 49 cases are from individuals age 18 or under and 32 cases are from individuals under 12. The age range of positive cases is from under 1 to mid-80s. There are currently four people with COVID-19 hospitalized at Bartlett Regional Hospital.

The Juneau School District reports three new individuals who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and were infectious while in school or as a result of a school-related activity:

  • two at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé (extracurricular activity related exposure)
  • one at Juneau Community Charter School (no classes quarantined as a result)

COVID-19 cases related to schools are posted on juneauschools.org (click on the green “COVID-19 Cases” block).

Statewide, DHSS reports 1,686 new people identified with COVID-19 – 1,661 are residents and 25 are nonresidents. The state also reports five recent deaths bringing the total number of resident deaths to 678:

  • Male Kodiak resident in his 50s
  • Female Anchorage resident in her 50s
  • Male Anchorage resident in his 50s
  • Male Wasilla resident in his 40s
  • Female Anchorage resident in her 70s

Alaska has had 129,740 cumulative resident cases of COVID-19 and a total of 5,212 nonresidents.

October 25th, 2021|

COVID-19 vaccine clinics for Juneau kids 5 to 11 tentatively scheduled for week of Nov. 8

Children in Juneau ages 5 to 11 may be able to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in early November, pending approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The City and Borough of Juneau – in partnership with Juneau Public Health Center, Bartlett Regional Hospital, local pediatricians, and other community organizations – is planning to host free pediatric vaccine clinics the week of November 8. Registration for these clinics could open as early as Tuesday, November 2.

Juneau has approximately 2,700 children aged 5-11. CBJ anticipates receiving about 1,200 Pfizer doses from the Alaska Department of Health & Social Services for this first round of clinics. Pediatric COVID-19 vaccine will also be available through SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC), some local pharmacies, and the Juneau Public Health Center.

The FDA meeting that will start the approval process to allow using Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11 is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26. You can watch the meeting here. Following the FDA meeting, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is expected to meet on November 2 and 3 to conclude the approval process.

The pediatric vaccine clinics will be located at Juneau schools, though the specific school buildings, dates, and times are still being finalized. When those details are confirmed, CBJ will notify the public. Again, appointment scheduling for pediatric COVID-19 vaccine may be available as early as Tuesday, November 2 for clinics taking place the week of November 8.

For more information, contact Emergency Operations Center Incident Commander/CBJ Deputy City Manager Robert Barr at 586-5240 or [email protected], or email [email protected].

October 25th, 2021|

State reports 26 new COVID-19 cases for Juneau

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) reports 26 new individuals in the Juneau community – 25 residents and one nonresident – identified with COVID-19 for October 22. According to Juneau Public Health, there are about 205 active cases. Of those, 66 cases are from individuals age 18 or under, and 49 cases are from individuals under 12. The age range of positive cases is from under 1 to mid-90s. There are currently five people with COVID-19 hospitalized at Bartlett Regional Hospital.

Statewide, DHSS reports 877 new people identified with COVID-19 – 861 are residents and 16 are nonresidents. The state also reports six recent deaths – five residents and one nonresident – bringing the total number of resident deaths to 673 and nonresident deaths to 25:

  • Male Anchorage resident in his 50s
  • Male Anchorage resident in his 70s
  • Female Bethel Census Area resident in her 80s
  • Female Fairbanks resident in her 70s
  • Male Anchorage resident in his 80s
  • A nonresident female in her 50s, diagnosed in Wasilla

Alaska has had 128,084 cumulative resident cases of COVID-19 and a total of 5,188 nonresidents.

October 22nd, 2021|