The state’s health department released a report in December that analyzes COVID-19 deaths from the beginning of the pandemic through this September.
Most Alaskans who died from COVID-19 in the first year and a half of the pandemic had known underlying medical conditions. The most common were cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, followed by diabetes and chronic respiratory disease.
Megan Tompkins is an epidemiologist for the state. She says this was not a surprise to epidemiologists, but it’s important information for Alaskans because underlying health conditions are so common — two-thirds of the state’s population has them, including young people.
“Risk does increase with age group. And so do underlying medical conditions generally increase with age group. But if people want to ensure that they are protected and relatively safe from a severe outcome, vaccinations are the best way to do that,” Tompkins said.
More than 650 Alaskans died from COVID-19 by the end of September. More than half of the deaths were among men — 60%. The death rate increased substantially after the delta variant emerged in Alaska this June. This study does not include October and November, among the deadliest months of the pandemic in Alaska, which account for an additional 199 deaths.
“We have some — a large number — of deaths added during this last quarter of the year that would be interesting to analyze. We have no reason to think that they would necessarily be different,” Tompkins said.
The health department recommends vaccination, booster shots and masking in public to prevent COVID-19 deaths.
