BRH COVID-19 Update: Therapeutics and Testing Transitions Underway

Bartlett Regional Hospital has released the following information about COVID-19 therapeutics and testing via their website:

Starting October 24, the hospital will be closing its monoclonal antibody therapy clinic due to a decrease in demand. Individuals seeking COVID-19 medication should contact their primary care provider to discuss options. The hospital will continue to offer EVUSHELD in Infusion Therapy to prevent infection for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals who may not mount an adequate immune response to COVID-19 vaccination.

Starting November 15, given decreasing use the hospital will end its COVID-19 PCR drive-thru testing site and discontinue the testing hotline. COVID-19 testing will continue to be available to patients as a pre-procedure requirement. Laboratory testing continues to be available through SEARHC and Juneau Urgent Care. Antigen test kits are available at no cost at locations around Juneau as well as commercially.

“We feel comfortable taking these steps at this time given the decreasing numbers and need to reallocate resources,” said Kim McDowell, Chief Clinical Officer. “We are cautious about removing mitigation measures given our tight staffing and look forward to changing our testing and masking requirements as community transmission rates drop.”

The hospital is reviewing its COVID-19 policies and plans to make changes to mitigation measures such as required masking and pre-procedure testing as community transmission rates drop.

October 20th, 2022|

Update: Flu Shot Unavailable at October 1 Public Vaccine Clinic

UPDATE: We have confirmed that the flu vaccine shipment will not arrive in time to offer flu shots at tomorrow’s public vaccine clinic.

The City and Borough of Juneau, the Juneau Public Health Center, Bartlett Regional Hospital, and the Juneau School District will communicate broadly with the public about future flu vaccination options once Public Health receives their vaccine shipment. We apologize for the inconvenience.

 

ORIGINAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The City and Borough of Juneau, the Juneau Public Health Center, Bartlett Regional Hospital, and the Juneau School District are sponsoring an updated COVID-19 booster vaccine clinic on Saturday October 1, 2022, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Floyd Dryden Middle School, 3800 Mendenhall Loop Road.

The clinic originally planned to offer both the bivalent COVID-19 booster and flu vaccines. However, due to delays at the manufacturer and in shipping, the flu vaccine has not yet arrived at Public Health. It is therefore possible that that the flu vaccine will not be available at tomorrow’s clinic. Those registered for the clinic have been informed of this possibility via email and will receive a follow-up email by the end of the day today notifying them whether or not flu shots will be available.

Public Health has received the COVID-19 booster from Pfizer-BioNTech. If you have registered for a COVID-19 booster you will still be able to receive your dose at tomorrow’s clinic as originally planned. Please bring your COVID vaccine card with you to your appointment.

For more information, contact the CBJ Manager’s Office at (907) 586-5240 or the Juneau Public Health Center at (907) 465-3353.

September 30th, 2022|

Updated COVID Booster & Flu Vaccine Clinic To Be Held October 1 at Floyd Dryden Middle School

The City and Borough of Juneau, the Juneau Public Health Center, Bartlett Regional Hospital, and the Juneau School District will sponsor an updated COVID booster and flu vaccine clinic on October 1, 2022, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Floyd Dryden Middle School, 3800 Mendenhall Loop Road.

The public clinic will offer the updated bivalent COVID-19 booster from Pfizer-BioNTech for individuals ages 12 years and older and flu vaccine for individuals ages 6 months and up. High dose flu vaccines will not be available at this clinic.

The updated bivalent booster vaccine, recently authorized by the CDC, contains vaccine for both the original strain of the virus and the omicron BA.4/5 variant.

You are eligible to receive the bivalent COVID booster if:

  • You are at least 12 years of age
  • You have completed your primary COVID-19 vaccination series (first and second shot)
  • Your last booster shot was over two months ago

You are eligible to receive the flu vaccine if:

  • You are at least 6 months of age

Register for an appointment at the clinic at juneau.org/vaccine. Those who need assistance registering can call the Alaska COVID-19 Helpline at (907) 646-3322. Please bring your COVID vaccine card with you to the clinic.

CBJ is aware of a number of other local providers who are offering or plan to offer the updated booster, including Costco, SEARHC, Juneau Urgent and Family Care, the Juneau Public Health Center, Ron’s Apothecary, and Fred Meyer. Appointments for some providers can be made at juneau.org/vaccine; others must be made directly via the provider. Like other COVID-19 vaccines, the updated booster is free of charge.

Visit the CBJ COVID-19 Information home page for information on testing and vaccination in Juneau.

For more information, contact the CBJ Manager’s Office at (907) 586-5240 or the Juneau Public Health Center at (907) 465-3353.

September 21st, 2022|

Updated COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Availability in Juneau

Recently the CDC authorized an updated COVID-19 booster vaccine that contains vaccine for both the original strain of the virus and the omicron BA.4/5 variant. Most local providers in Juneau have placed orders and are awaiting delivery. CBJ is aware of a number of local providers who are offering or plan to offer the updated booster, including Costco, SEARHC, Juneau Urgent and Family Care, the Juneau Public Health Center, Ron’s Apothecary, and Fred Meyer. Appointments for some providers can be made at juneau.org/vaccine; others must be made directly via the provider. Like other COVID-19 vaccines, the updated booster is free of charge.

CBJ, in partnership with Juneau Public Health and Bartlett Regional Hospital, plans to offer a combined COVID booster + flu vaccine clinic in early October.

In general, individuals ages 12 and up who have both completed their primary COVID-19 vaccine series and who have not had a booster within the past two months are eligible for the updated booster. To determine your individual eligibility, use the “Find out when you can get your booster” tool here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html

Though case counts are no longer at record highs, COVID is still present in the community. If you are experiencing COVID symptoms, including fever, sore throat, runny nose, or loss of taste or smell, you are encouraged to test and follow precautions to keep yourself and others safe and healthy. You can schedule a PCR test with local providers including Bartlett Regional Hospital or test at home using a rapid antigen test. Free at-home tests are available at the City Hall Cash Office, all Juneau Public Libraries, the Juneau Public Health Center, and the Juneau Police Station. (Please do not enter these locations if you are feeling sick or experiencing symptoms; it is safest to pick up your free test kits in advance.)

Visit the CBJ COVID-19 Information home page for more information on testing and vaccination in Juneau.

September 9th, 2022|

City and Borough of Juneau Partner with Cruise Lines to Sign Memorandum of Agreement on Visitor Industry Management

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) and cruise lines calling the port have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in a groundbreaking effort to help manage visitor industry impacts in the Capital City. This pioneering collaboration points a way forward for communities and cruise lines to work together to support local businesses, strengthen the visitor experience, and protect quality of life in the community.

The agreement, developed in partnership between CBJ and member companies of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) that operate ships in Juneau, is based on the recommendations established by the Visitor Industry Task Force (VITF) in 2020 and solidifies the cooperative working relationship among the parties.

CBJ Mayor Beth Weldon appointed the VITF to guide Assembly policy related to tourism management. The MOA includes a list of concrete commitments and formalizes the partners’ intent to continue to collaborate on projects and agreements to address community goals. The CBJ and cruise lines will continue to work together to meet community objectives while considering the complex logistics of cruise line operations.

“CLIA member lines have made tremendous advancements in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship across the globe and remain committed to being good partners with the communities we visit in Alaska. This MOA is a demonstration of that and will continue to strengthen the relationship between the community and the cruise industry,” said Renée Limoge Reeve, Vice President of Government and Community Relations at CLIA.

The commitments in the MOA include immediate actions such as eliminating disposal of large, bulky waste and minimizing all types of waste in Juneau’s landfill, turning off large screens in port and when visible to neighborhoods, limiting drinking water use in times of drought, and maximizing partnerships with local businesses. The MOA also includes pledges to work together on longer-term goals like strategic docking of ships to minimize congestion, changes to the way ships are scheduled, and industry support for projects important to CBJ such as the Centennial Hall expansion and constructing shore power at City-owned docks.

“Throughout this process, we have appreciated the cruise lines’ open dialogue, receptivity to community needs, and dedication to collaboration,” said Alexandra Pierce, CBJ Tourism Manager. “We’re looking forward to future agreements that advance community goals and address concerns while preserving a sustainable visitor industry.”

Find information on the Visitor Industry in Juneau juneau.org/tourism and read the full agreement here.

August 29th, 2022|
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