By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
More than 50 percent of Sitka’s population of those 16 and up are listed as “fully vaccinated,” the state Department of Health and Social Services reports.
The DHSS said that in Sitka 4,242 (61.20 percent) of those 16 and older are partially vaccinated, and 3,488 (50.32 percent) are fully vaccinated.
Sitka will head into the weekend, and spring break, in the “yellow” risk zone, although a few more cases were added this week to the dashboard.
Harry Race Pharmacy held a clinic today offering the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Harry Race vaccine coordinator Katelyn Ylitalo said Sitka received 100 doses of the vaccine and 30 people signed up for shots today at the fire hall.
Some of the J&J vaccine doses will be taken to home-bound patients, and those facing other barriers, she said.
Harry Race is the “mini depot” for the J&J vaccine from the state, with half of the available vaccine going to SEARHC and the other half to Harry Race.
Both Harry Race and SEARHC have been holding regular clinics for other available COVID-19 vaccines.
The three new COVID cases reported this week are an asymptomatic boy, 10-19, whose results were reported March 9; a nonresident girl, 10-19, who received results March 10; and an asymptomatic man in his 30s, results on March 9. Nonresidents are not counted in the rolling average.
The rolling average stood at .43 today. The dashboard listed four current active cases.
The state public health nurse started clinics this week for Sitka’s seafood processors. She said the response has been “great” for all the seafood plants at the first-shot clinics for the Moderna vaccine. Two doses are required for full efficacy.
“It’s going great, and everyone’s doing well,” said Public Health Nurse Denise Ewing, noting the percentage at one of the plants at 75 percent of the workforce. The final plant clinic will take place when she returns from clinics at Port Protection, Point Baker, Hidden Falls and Baranof Warm Springs next week.
