Statewide COVID-19 Communications: September 21 update for partners

We are COVID conscious

September 21, 2020 Update for partners

Dear Community Partners:

Thank you for all your continued hard work, coordination and patience under difficult circumstances. We can't thank everyone enough for the ongoing efforts to keep Alaskans healthy, safe and informed about COVID-19. If you have questions or would like something included in the next update, email items to sue.libenson@alaska.gov, kathleen.griffith@alaska.gov, or elizabeth.manning@alaska.gov, with the subject: COVID-19 Week in Review.

The Flu Shot is More Important than Ever this Winter

It's never been more important to get a flu shot. The flu shot will protect Alaskans from the potential double impacts of flu and COVID-19.  The flu shot reduces your risk of getting the flu and potentially requiring hospitalization.  This will ensure that scarce hospital resources remain available, if needed, for COVID-19 patients.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alaska Immunization Program is waiving eligibility limitations for adults for influenza vaccine for 2020-2021.  For certain influenza vaccines, all adults and all pediatric patients are eligible regardless of insurance status. 

We will update on flu clinics.  Here is a list of flu clinics from the Anchorage School District that begin as early as this week.  

Please send us your community's flu clinics so that we can include them in future emails.

Also, these CDC materials are available to use:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/toolkit/index.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/freeresources/video/media-psa.htm

CDC flu vaccine poster

Additional Unemployment Assistance to be Distributed Soon

Many Alaskans are struggling due to COVID-19 economic changes.  Governor Dunleavy and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Dr. Tamika Ledbetter announced on September 18 that $62 million in federal funds are set to be distributed once programming is complete.  

COVID-19 Alaska Weekly Case Update: Sept. 6 - 12 , 2020

COVID-19 Alaska Weekly Case Update

This data summary covers COVID-19 in Alaska from Sunday, September 6 through Saturday, September 12, 2020.  The full report is available here.

Highlights

  • Overall, new cases in Alaska are increasing. The daily state case rate as of September 12, 2020 is 8.7 cases per 100,000 people averaged over the last 14 days. This is up from 7.9 last week and 7.0 the week before, so the state alert level for this past week remained at intermediate (orange).
  • The reproductive number, a measure of contagion, has increased to 1.02 and is projected to continue to increase slightly. A reproductive number of 1.02 means that each person who is diagnosed with COVID-19 gives it on average to slightly more than one other person. A reproductive number of more than 1 means that the epidemic is growing. The goal is to have enough people wear masks, stay at least 6 feet from others, and stay home and get tested when they are sick, so that Alaska’s reproductive number decreases to well below 1. Our reproductive number was below 1 as recently as late August. 
  • An updated model epidemic curve now predicts Alaska’s cases to rise over the next week, a reversal in trend from recent weeks when cases had been predicted to decrease. Two weeks ago, cases were expected to halve every 75 days. One week ago, cases were expected to halve more slowly, every 210 days. As of this week, cases are now expected to double every 62 days, with a daily projected growth rate of 1.12%. 
  • Nonresident cases, which peaked in late July, decreased over August and continue to downtrend. 
  • Alaska continues to have both the fewest COVID-19 related deaths and the fewest COVID-19 related deaths per capita of any US state. 

Bookmark handy online DHSS resources

Check these pages and social media accounts for recent updates, as well as messages and graphics you can share with your communities:

 

Thank you and have a great week! 
- DHSS Public Information Team 

Alaskans stand together six feet apart

 

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