Alaska News

Southeast Alaska nonprofit group will donate vaccine doses to city of Juneau

JUNEAU - A nonprofit health organization plans to donate some of the COVID-19 vaccine it receives from the federal Indian Health Services to the City and Borough of Juneau.

Juneau City Emergency Manager Robert Barr said the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium vaccine donation will be used during the borough’s next mass vaccination clinic March 12 and 13, KTOO Public Media reported.

The consortium and the city are partnering to help vaccinate a larger portion of the Juneau area’s eligible population, Barr said.

“I think due to the progress that SEARHC has made throughout Southeast Alaska, they have some vaccines in the IHS allocation that can be delivered via these clinics,” Barr said.

The consortium said in a statement that it maintains sufficient vaccine supplies for its patients, Alaska Native beneficiaries and their families.

Juneau’s vaccine eligibility was previously limited to front-line medical workers and people who are 65 and older.

Eligibility has now been expanded to include many educators and child care workers, people age 50 and over, pandemic workers and those living in congregate facilities like prisons, shelters and psychiatric facilities.

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