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Alaska became the first state in the country on Tuesday to lift all adult eligibility requirements for a coronavirus vaccine.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (right) announced on Tuesday that everyone who lives or works in Alaska and is 16 years of age and older can get the vaccine. Pfizer’s vaccine is available for people aged 16 and over, while Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are available for those who are at least 18 years old.
“This historic milestone is another national first for Alaska, but it should come as no surprise. Since day one, your response to the pandemic has been hands down the best in the country, ”Dunleavy said in a statement to Alaskans. “I couldn’t be more proud of Alaska’s response. From the first state to offer large-scale testing, to maintaining one of the lowest death rates in the country, to rolling out vaccines for everyone in Alaska, we’ve got here working together. .
Alaska had one of the lowest death rates in the country at 305 and recorded just 91 new cases on Monday, state data showed. There have been nearly 60,000 cases in the state since the start of the pandemic.
Dunleavy’s decision puts Alaska ahead of all other states, which still impose specific qualifications on residents to get a chance. Last week, it opened up vaccines to anyone 55 and over, essential workers, including first responders and teachers, as well as people with underlying health conditions.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Alaska administered the most total doses per 100,000 population of any state at 41,376. New Mexico is the only other state to have administered more than 40 000 doses per 100,000 inhabitants.
States are working to make vaccines more widely available to accelerate the end of the pandemic. With three vaccines currently in circulation, experts have expressed concern over the spread of more infectious variants and the capping of a drop in cases across the country.
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