State data show COVID-19 numbers increasing statewide and in some regions of Alaska, but officials in Juneau are confident at the city’s vaccination rates and containment ability. Roughly 63% of Juneau’s residents have completed their vaccine series according to City and Borough of Juneau data, and City Manager Mila Cosgrove said clinics are seeing about 200 new people receiving vaccines a week.<\/p>\n
“At a high level, we are seeing cases diminish,” Cosgrove said at a community update Tuesday. “For the most part, our case levels have remained relatively low.”<\/p>\n
Health officials have detected all four COVID-19 variants including the Delta variant in Juneau, said April Rezendes, public health nurse with the city, but the vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have shown to be effective at mitigating the effects of variants.<\/p>\n
A small number of vaccinated people have tested positive for COVID-19, Rezendes said, but they were either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and not spreading the disease as much as an unvaccinated person might. Unvaccinated people are still being asked to wear masks in public settings, and Cosgrove noted the city had set up free, regular testing for unvaccinated people working in tourism or other industries that have contact with the public.<\/p>\n
President Joe Biden set a goal in May to have 70% of the U.S. adults fully vaccinated by July 4, but few states have yet to clear that benchmark. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 58.3% of the U.S. population over 18 was fully vaccinated as of July 6, and 67.1% of U.S. adults having received one dose.<\/p>\n
According to city data, 63.4% of Juneau’s total population are vaccinated and 67.3% have received at least one dose. Cosgrove said in an email she’s confident the city will reach the 70% goal, and if vaccination rates continue at current rates that should happen by the end of July.<\/p>\n
A number of cities including Juneau have strong efforts to vaccinate their populations and have begun offering incentives to attract residents who haven’t yet received a vaccine. The Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce recently offered a $1,000 cash drawing and the city’s Zach Gordon Youth Center partnered with Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium’s Front Street Clinic to host a barbecue<\/a> on July 1, and offer the single-injection Johnson & Johnson vaccine to people 12 and older. <\/p>\n