Alaska coronavirus news

The public can submit questions in advance to CovidQuestions@juneau.org. 

Over the course of two days, the Haines Health Center ceased normal appointments to give about 600 people from Haines and Klukwan their first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

By the end of the weekend, City Emergency Manager Robert Barr said about 10% of Juneau’s eligible population would be vaccinated.

Because of COVID-19, this year’s free legal clinic for Alaskans will be done differently and it will likely tackle issues related to the pandemic.

About 1,200 — or one-third — of students have returned to face-to-face classes this week.

Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium is now offering COVID-19 vaccines to anyone over the age of 18 in Haines who wants one. Vaccinations for the expanded pool of patients will begin this week.

National experts have warned that hesitancy to take the vaccine could undermine how effective the overall vaccination effort is.

A state health department committee tasked with setting priorities for vaccination, the Alaska Vaccine Advisory Committee, decided the first wave should go to hospital employees regardless of their position.

While some lawmakers have expressed concern that the governor has issued multiple declarations without the Legislature meeting, no one has sued to try to block them. 

George Nelson Jr. lived as one of 600 or so residents of Angoon, where he devoted himself to his community and his family.