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Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) speaks at the White House in Washington, DC, July 16, 2020, during a Rolling Back Regulations event to help all Americans on the lawn south at the White House on July 16, 2020 in Washington DC.
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images
Alaska on Tuesday became the first state to make Covid vaccines available to anyone 16 years and older who works or lives in the state, with immediate effect.
“This historic milestone is another national first for Alaska,” Governor Mike Dunleavy said in a statement, adding that he “could not be prouder” of Alaska’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Alaska’s move comes as other states roll out vaccines to high-risk populations like the elderly, frontline workers, and those with underlying health conditions.
The state health department has reported a cumulative total of 57,304 resident cases, 2,461 non-resident cases and 301 deaths.
Alaska began administering vaccines to healthcare workers and nursing home residents in December before gradually expanding eligibility in stages.
The state says it has administered more than 290,000 doses to date with at least 119,000 people fully vaccinated. This means that about 23.6% of Alaska’s population received at least one dose and 16.4% were fully vaccinated, according to the state’s Vaccine Dashboard.
The governor’s office noted that some regions are already approaching immunization rates of 90% among the elderly.
“A healthy community means a healthy economy. With widespread immunizations available to all Alaskans who live or work here, we will no doubt see our economy grow and our businesses prosper,” said Dunleavy.
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