Alaska health officials this week announced a new way people can qualify for a COVID-19 vaccine: Bring an unvaccinated elder with you, and you can get a shot yourself.
Other states like Massachusetts have used a similar vaccine buddy system, with the goal of making it easier for older people to get to their shots.
Here’s how it works: If you know someone who’s over 65, and you help them get vaccinated, you can get vaccinated yourself at the same time — even if you don’t meet any other state eligibility requirements.
The state also announced two other expansions of the current groups allowed to be vaccinated.
Anyone living or working in a congregate setting can now be vaccinated — that’s places like jails and prisons, domestic violence or homeless shelters and residential drug treatment centers. That group had previously only been open to people working in the judicial system, the Department of Health and Social Services said in a prepared statement.
And anyone providing at-home care for what the state calls a medically fragile person can also now be vaccinated. That includes anyone supporting another person in things like bathing, dressing, shopping or laundry.
Previously, caregivers were only eligible if they were caring for a person 65 or older.
For full details about vaccine eligibility, visit covidvax.alaska.gov.
