Print article Five Alaska health care workers experienced adverse reactions after getting the COVID-19 vaccine this week including two cases that were considered serious but health officials continue to emphasize that such reactions are both rare and treatable while the vast majority of vaccine recipients were fine. A Fairbanks health care worker was treated for a “probable” serious allergic reaction on Thursday after she received the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Foundation Health Partners care system. Additionally, on Friday evening, Providence Alaska reported that two caregivers who received the COVID-19 vaccine experienced non-life-threatening, mild reactions. Those incidents follow reactions experienced by two Bartlett Regional Hospital employees in Juneau one serious and one mild after they were vaccinated earlier in the week.
The first COVID-19 vaccine doses were given to Fairbanks health workers on Thursday morning, following the arrival of 975 doses from Pfizer on Wednesday.
One box with vaccines went to Tanana Chiefs Conference, and one to Fairbanks Health Partners, a nonprofit community-owned health care system that operates Tanana Valley Clinic, Fairbanks Memorial Hospital and long-term care facility Denali Center.
First vaccinations in Fairbanks
A nurse, Manuela Hitz, was the first person in Fairbanks Memorial Hospital to receive the vaccine and said she was happy and honored to do so.
âIâm really grateful for all the work that went in there, to make it possible for us to receive this vaccine,â Hitz said. âI just trust in the process, I believe in science, I think the whole world came together to make this happen.â
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The community hospital in Fairbanks got it’s package about 10:30 yesterday morning. Dr. Angelique Ramirez, Chief Medical Officer for Foundation Health Partners, says the 975 doses will be used to vaccinate hospital staff at greatest risk for exposure to COVID-19 and those who are caring for patients with the disease.
“This is the beginning of the end. And I will tell you I’m so excited, this is one of the first times I’m actually able to offer something to people that will actually protect them and make things better.”
Maria Terch, FMH Pharmacy Tech Manager and Jody Starkey, FMH Lab Blood Bank Supervisor check details of the shipment.
Thursday brought another surge of new COVID-19 virus deaths and cases across the state and the Interior, adding pressure on hospitals and urgency for new emergency funding and treatments.
Five more Alaskans died from the virus Thursday, including a Fairbanks man in his 80s, according to the state Department of Health and Social Services. Across the state, 626 new people were identified with the virus, 100 of them in Fairbanks and 22 in North Pole.
Among other cities, Anchorage took the biggest blow, seeing 231 cases, while 45 cases were registered in Wasilla, 44 in Kodiak, 19 in Eagle River, 16 in Soldotna, 16 in Juneau, 14 in Bethel and 14 in Kenai.
One COVID-19 death reported in Fairbanks and 100 new cases statewide; state allocating more money to help exhausted hospitals kodiakdailymirror.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from kodiakdailymirror.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.