Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 82 infections and no deaths recorded Thursday – Anchorage Daily News

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Alaskas average daily case counts are now trending down significantly statewide, though a few regions in the state are still in the highest alert category based on their current per capita rate of infection.

Health officials continue to encourage Alaskans to wear face coverings in crowded public spaces, wash their hands frequently and get vaccinated against COVID-19 to prevent further spread.

By Thursday, there were 40 people with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 in hospitals throughout the state, far below a peak in late 2020.

The CDC on Thursday updated its guidance for fully vaccinated people to say this group can largely stop wearing masks outdoors and indoors, except in crowded settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters.

Anyone 12 and older who lives or works in Alaska can now receive a COVID-19 vaccination, health officials said this week. Previously, only those 16 and older in Alaska had been eligible for the vaccine.

Parents and others can visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 907-646-3322 to sign up for a vaccine appointment; new appointments are added regularly. The phone line is staffed from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends. Only Pfizers vaccine is approved for children as young as 12; the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved only for those 18 and older.

By Thursday, 310,431 people 52% of all Alaskans 16 and older had received at least their first dose. At least 271,092 people about 47% of Alaskans 16 and older were considered fully vaccinated, according to the states vaccine monitoring dashboard.

Of the 81 cases reported Thursday among Alaska residents, there were 15 in Anchorage plus one in Eagle River; 13 in Ketchikan; eight in Fairbanks; five in North Pole; five in Metlakatla; four in Anchor Point; four in Palmer; three in Healy; three in Tok; two in Cordova; two in Seward; two in Nome; one in Kenai; one in Soldotna; one in Houston; one in Utqiagvik; one in Juneau; one in Petersburg; one in Craig; and one in Unalaska.

In smaller communities that are not named to protect residents privacy, there was one in the Prince of Wales and Hyder Census Area and one in an unknown region of the state.

One new nonresident case in Anchorage was also identified Thursday.

While people might get tested more than once, each case reported by the state health department represents only one person.

The states data doesnt specify whether people testing positive for COVID-19 have symptoms. More than half of the nations infections are transmitted from asymptomatic people, according to CDC estimates.

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Tracking COVID-19 in Alaska: 82 infections and no deaths recorded Thursday - Anchorage Daily News