Alaska’s North Slope grapples with soaring COVID-19 infection rate, low vaccinations
While the North Slope Borough's rate of vaccination for COVID-19 is on par with Anchorage, it's far behind that of other comparable, rural areas off the road system.
Anchorage mayor blames vaccine mandates for hospital staff shortage. Hospitals say he’s wrong.
Hospitals say they're swamped with COVID patients now. Mandates aren't in effect yet.
Masking and capacity restrictions slowed the Delta variant in Juneau, expert says
In late July, Juneau brought its mask mandate back, and in early August it limited capacity at bars and restaurants among other restrictions. King says what happened next looks like a data confirmation that those mitigation mandates work.
Pfizer Submits Favorable Initial Data To The FDA On Kids’ COVID-19 Vaccine Trial
Pfizer and BioNTech are another step closer to seeking authorization for young children to receive the COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine, submitting data to the Food and Drug Administration that shows a "robust" antibody response and "favorable" safety outcomes in kids ages 5 to 11 who received the two-dose regimen in clinical trials.
Diagnosed with end-stage cancer, Hobo Jim thanks his fans for their support
James Varsos, best known to Alaska and the world as Hobo Jim, said his cancer is untreatable and that doctors told him he has three to six months to live.
Proposed Anchorage mask mandate would enlist the public to help enforce it
head of Tuesday’s Assembly meeting, member Meg Zaletel added an amendment that would create a way for individuals to file complaints if they see people or businesses out of compliance with the mandate.
Alaska reports thousands more COVID cases over the weekend, additional deaths from backlog
If it were its own country, Alaska would rank second for its 7-day average of daily infections per capita behind Grenada, according to data compiled by the New York Tim.
Why Anchorage COVID-19 infections prompted military leaders to enact stronger measures than the city
Military commanders at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage are asking airmen and soldiers to mask up and avoid off-base establishments that don't require masking, in response to increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the community.
A nurse says she was fired from Ketchikan medical center for reporting safety concerns
State and federal labor investigators are looking into complaints that the hospital retaliated against the nurse after she’d raised concerns that some COVID-19 patients weren’t being properly monitored.
Alaskans have until Friday to apply for pandemic rental assistance
Renters who make 80% or less of area median income for their community are eligible for rental assistance until Friday, Oct. 1.
White House steps up work on what to do about thawing Arctic
The White House said Friday it is reactivating the Arctic Executive Steering Committee, which coordinates domestic regulations and works with other Arctic nations. It also is adding six new members to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, including two Indigenous Alaskans.
Denali Borough to require masking in schools
Opponents of the mask requirement include Tri-Valley Fire Department Chief Rob Graham, who suggested the pandemic may be overblown and that proponents of masking are "getting paid with COVID dollars."
State worker arrested on child pornography charges days after adopting 4 kids
Federal agents arrested John Daniel Brooks, 51, on Thursday. State records show Brooks is an analyst-programmer for the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Alaska reports more than 1,700 cases and dozens of deaths from backlog
The state of Alaska, contending with the nation’s highest rate of COVID-19, reported a new single-day case record Friday, plus dozens of deaths over the past few months that were linked to the coronavirus.
Alaska emphasizes state employee telework amid virus worries
Alaska plans to emphasize telework for state employees for the next month as the COVID-19 pandemic strains Alaska’s health care system.
The quality of care is falling in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta as cases surge statewide
Alaska is reporting the highest COVID-19 case rate per capita of any state, according to the New York Times tracker. The statewide surge in cases is straining resources and staff, causing patients to receive a lower quality of care than before the surge.
Alaska Medevac planes are flying recovering COVID patients from urban hospitals to smaller ones
To make room for critically ill patients at Anchorage's overloaded hospitals amid Alaska's largest surge in COVID-19, medevac planes are sometimes flying in reverse: moving still-hospitalized but recovering patients from Anchorage back to rural areas.
Anchorage school nurses are busier than ever as the coronavirus transforms their jobs
As the city wades through its worst coronavirus surge yet, driven by the super contagious delta variant, school nurses have become a go-to source of information for families.
In ERs and public meetings, Alaskans rage at health care workers trying to stem COVID spread
Alaskans have been "belligerent, disrespectful, very, very aggressive" to contract tracers, says a public health nurse manager. They've followed nurses to yell at them.
Judge deals blow to Eklutna’s bid for tribal gaming
Parcel Eklutna wants for gaming parlor is not "Indian land," judge rules.