April 11, 2021 ANCHORAGE

Some emerging reasons for every Alaskan to get vaccinated promptly

1. The overall medical context is changing very quickly and not necessarily in a generally positive way due to the new Covid mutations now taking hold. 

2. The newer, more contagious and dangerous UK Covid mutation is taking strong hold in the US and that seems to be driving recently rising rates of infection.  The State of Alaska's Covid reports that I receive indicate a recent doubling of Alaska's infection rate over the past two weeks.  However, those who have been fully vaccinated are not currently at high risk for serious disease, hospitalization, or death.  Full immunity is believed to occur about two weeks after the second shot and immunity lasts at least six months.

3. Children are much more likely to be infected by the newer UK mutation that’s becoming dominant in the US and is driving the resurgence of serious Covid infections in Europe.   Unlike past experience, children and teens are now becoming the primary disease spreaders driving new surges in Covid infection in their households and the general population.

4. Recent medical journal articles indicate that the UK mutation is about 64%  more lethal than earlier variants of Covid, which also means nastier long-term side effects experienced by many who become infected.

5.  Preliminary studies show that Pfizer vaccine ( and likely the very similar Moderna two-shot vaccine) is nearly 100% effective in preventing Covid in children 12-15.  Unfortunately,  no Alaskan children are vaccinated yet because the vaccines are only now being tested for safety and effectiveness in children under 16.  It's suggested that most children could be fully vaccinated by the time that school starts in the Fall.

(to read all updates click HERE)

Joe Kashi
DG 2020-2021