Alaska Continues to Lead Nation in Vaccination Rates
Alaska’s vaccination effort continues to be one of the best in the nation. Nearly one-in-three Alaskans (253,240 people) have received their first shot while more than one-in-five (177,827 people) are fully vaccinated.
Vaccination coverage is highest among Alaska residents age 65 and older—the group most vulnerable to COVID-19. As of April 2, roughly 72 percent of Alaskans in that age group have received one dose of the vaccine and 64 percent are fully vaccinated—a number that includes 90 percent of residents at Alaska’s Pioneer Homes.
“Each vaccinated person gets us one step closer to putting the pandemic behind us and getting back to living life freely like we did before COVID-19,” says Governor Mike Dunleavy.
“Alaska is well on its way to achieving herd immunity. If we keep up this brisk pace of vaccinations, we will soon get to the point where further spread of the disease will become unlikely. I thank those individuals who have worked hard to get us to this point and encourage Alaskans to keep it up. Because of efforts made by all Alaskans, we are seeing healthier communities and a healthier economy.”
Current Issue
December 2024
In coordination with Tribal partners and local communities, the State’s vaccination efforts have been successful with some communities in Alaska reaching extremely high vaccination rates. Communities with high vaccination rates include:
- Atka – 89% total residents
- Saint Mary’s – 85% total residents
- Koyukuk – 80% total residents
- Mekoryuk – 79% total residents
- Anvik – 78% total residents
- Angoon – 76% total residents
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a new study showing that the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) are proving to be highly effective in real-world conditions. Effectiveness of full immunization (≥14 days after second dose) was 90 percent including infections where people experienced no symptoms. Vaccine effectiveness of partial immunization (≥14 days after first dose but before second dose) was 80 percent.
Additionally, Alaska’s hospitalization rates are consistently low. The highest number of hospitalizations from COVID-19 occurred in November 2020, when there were 338 hospitalizations statewide. By comparison, the preliminary count in March 2021 is 93 hospitalizations. This is a 72 percent reduction in hospitalizations compared to November of last year.
In February 2021, Alaska experienced the lowest number of hospitalizations since the pandemic began, with just 59 statewide.
For more information on Alaska’s COVID-19 vaccinations and response, click here.
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