Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) speaks at the White House in Washington, DC, at an event on July 16, 2020 about rolling back regulations to help all Americans on the South Lawn in the White House on July 16, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Jim Watson | AFP | Getty images
Alaska became the first state on Tuesday to make Covid vaccines available with immediate effect to anyone 16 and older who works or lives in the state.
“This historic move is another nationwide first for Alaska,” Governor Mike Dunleavy said in a statement, adding that he “couldn’t be prouder” of Alaska’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Alaska’s move comes as other states are rolling out vaccines for higher-risk populations, such as the elderly, front-line workers, and those with underlying medical conditions.
The state health department reported a total of 57,304 resident cases, 2,461 non-resident cases, and 301 deaths.
Alaska began giving injections to health workers and nursing home residents in December, before gradually expanding in stages.
The state says it has administered more than 290,000 doses to date with at least 119,000 fully vaccinated people. That means about 23.6% of Alaska’s population has received at least one dose and 16.4% has been fully vaccinated, according to the state’s vaccine dashboard.
The governor’s office noted that in some regions, the vaccination rate of seniors is already close to 90%.
“A healthy community means a healthy economy. With widespread vaccinations available to all Alaskans living or working here, we will no doubt see our economy grow and our businesses thrive,” Dunleavy said.