Hundreds of appointments still available for Juneau’s next mass vaccination clinic

Update | 6:18 p.m.

COVID-19 vaccination stations and a waiting area during Juneau’s first mass vaccination event on Jan. 17, 2021, at Centennial Hall. The city estimates more than 1,100 people were vaccinated that weekend. (Photo by Rashah McChesney/KTOO)

As of Tuesday afternoon, nearly 500 appointments were still available for Juneau’s next mass vaccination clinic.

Emergency planning chief Robert Barr said the remaining appointments are for Saturday, March 13.

“We’re pretty confident that they will fill up … but we do need help in getting the word out,” he said.

Eligible residents can sign up online or by calling the city’s COVID hotline at 586-6000. Otherwise ineligible residents can also get a spot by helping a senior get vaccinated.

Vaccines may also be available through other channels, including area pharmacies and doctor’s offices. Members of the military may be eligible through the U.S. Department of Defense and veterans through Veterans Affairs.

In Juneau, the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium is making the vaccine available to all of its beneficiaries and existing patients. To be considered for future appointments, sign up at covid19.searhc.org.

So far, Juneau city officials think 30% of Juneau’s 16 and older population have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.

Barr and other local officials spoke during the city’s weekly COVID-19 community update on Tuesday.

Deputy City Manager Mila Cosgrove said that last month, Juneau averaged 3.08 new COVID cases per day. That’s about one third of the high in November, 9.37.

“Definitely moving in the right direction,” Cosgrove said.

She said one question she is getting a lot is, how will we know when we’re out of this?

“We are thinking about that, we are looking at it. We don’t have defined answers yet, but that is very much in our minds as we look at the upcoming months to try to navigate that terrain,” she said.

City officials are still worried about other factors that could upend the trend lines.

“The thing I think that keeps us all awake a little bit at night is knowing that some of the more aggressive variants of COVID are here in Alaska,” Cosgrove said. “We have not yet identified any in Juneau, but it is likely going to happen.”

Cosgrove said any positive case identified among airport travelers is sent to a state lab to quickly identify potential variants.

Original story | 3:40 p.m.

Juneau city officials are holding their weekly COVID-19 community update at 4 p.m. today over video conference. You can watch on this post, through the City and Borough of Juneau’s Facebook page or on Zoom.

Members of the city’s emergency operations center will provide information about the local COVID-19 response and answer questions. Community members can email questions in advance.

The city’s next mass vaccination clinic is scheduled for March 12 and 13. As of Monday, 746 appointments were available. Eligible residents can sign up online or by calling the city’s COVID hotline at 586-6000.

Vaccines may also be available through other channels, including area pharmacies and doctor’s offices. Members of the military may be eligible through the U.S. Department of Defense and veterans through Veterans Affairs.

In Juneau, the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium is making the vaccine available to all of its beneficiaries and existing patients. To be considered for future appointments, sign up online.

So far, Juneau city officials think 30% of Juneau’s 16 and older population have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.

As of Tuesday afternoon, city officials know of 18 residents with active cases of COVID-19. The figure includes Juneau residents in Juneau, Juneau residents outside of Juneau, and Alaska residents in Juneau, like legislators and their staff.

Jeremy Hsieh

Local News Reporter, KTOO

I dig into questions about the forces and institutions that shape Juneau, big and small, delightful and outrageous. What stirs you up about how Juneau is built and how the city works?

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