Tag: coronavirus

""

Here’s how to decide if you’re safe to go out when you’re recovering from omicron

If you have a current infection, you might be wondering, when is it safe for me to step out and socialize again?
A woman receives a nasal swab Covid test outside of the Denali Federal Credit Union Operations Center.

‘A steep downward trajectory’: Alaska sees 50% drop in reported COVID cases this week

Alaska’s downward trend follows other states' declines in case counts.
""

If you’re finding this stage of the pandemic especially confusing, you’re not alone

Part of the problem is the conflicting, ever-changing advice people are hearing from different political leaders.
A close up of a red KN95 mask on a person's face

Coronavirus FAQ: What’s the best way to protect school-age kids from COVID?

Even as case rates are plunging in some areas, multi-layered strategies are still necessary.
A colorful shed with the words "be healthy, Bethel" painted on it

COVID cases in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta are soaring as Alaska’s cases fall

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta case rate remains higher than both that of the state and the nation.
A glass vial with a clear liquid sitting on top of a cardboard box that says etesevimab injection

Alaska sees decline in COVID cases, more treatment options available

Previously, certain oral antiviral and monoclonal antibody treatments were only recommended for those who were immunocompromised, pregnant, or 65 and older with risk factors.
""

The future of the pandemic is looking clearer as we learn more about infection

Better data is painting a more optimistic picture about immunity after a bout of COVID-19.
Red coronaviruses float around

2 Alaska infants have died of COVID, the state’s first pediatric deaths tied to the illness

Both Alaskans were infants from Southcentral Alaska. They’re the first COVID-19 deaths of any Alaskan under the age of 20 since the pandemic began, according to health officials.
A woman points to a stripe on a large blanket with many stripes of different colors and widths

Each row of this Kenai woman’s crochet project represents a day of COVID case data

The blanket is over 11 feet long and weighs 10 pounds. It represents more than a year of crocheting in front of the TV, watching cases spike and fall.
A sign that says "face masks required" in a hallway

Masking becomes optional at Matanuska-Susitna Borough schools

In a letter to families on Friday, Superintendent Randy Trani said masks would be strongly urged in those cases, but no longer required.

In the state’s largest school districts, families wait for last year’s food assistance

According to the Food Bank of Alaska, just 28 school districts in the state have received P-EBT funds for the 2020-2021 school year. Families in the state’s largest districts – Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Fairbanks and others – are still waiting.
woman at a microphone with an alaska flag behind her.

Alaska’s COVID case count keeps climbing

COVID was the 4th leading cause of death for Alaska in 2020.
A woman swabs someone's nose.

Alaska reports 21 COVID deaths and thousands of new cases

The new case count on Friday totaled more than 3,000, with new infections over the weekend dropping to fewer than 1,500 each day. The numbers do not include at-home test results.
A boy gets a shot from a woman in a mask.

Line One: Alaska Coalition of BIPOC Educators advocate for vaccination

On the next installment of Alaska Public Media's Talk to your Neighbor series, members of the Alaska Coalition of BIPOC Educators discuss how they're getting the word out about vaccination in schools and in the community. 
A female teacher points to a word projected on a white board in a classroom with three students sitting a tables facing the front of the classroom

For many young Anchorage students, meeting pre-pandemic reading goals is still a challenge

Many kindergarteners, first graders and second graders in Anchorage are struggling to catch up on reading skills. That’s according to data the Anchorage School Board shared at its meeting Tuesday night.
An emergency sign outside a hospital.

The number of Alaskan COVID deaths now tops 1,000

The state health department on Wednesday reported an additional 63 COVID deaths among Alaskans, the youngest in his 30s and the oldest in her 90s.
The Providence Medical Center in Anchorage.

Anchorage hospitals tighten visitor restrictions as COVID surge presses on

The city’s three major hospitals are no longer allowing visitors for adults in the emergency room.
A person in a hospital gown walks around a parked car in a snowy parking lot

Talk of Alaska: Health experts address omicron surge questions

The omicron variant surge in Alaska is once again putting health care resources under strain, but not in the same way as last fall’s delta surge.
A person's bear arms with an IV drip coming from the window

Omicron wave prompts rationing of COVID medications in Alaska

With fewer monoclonal antibody treatments available that work with the omicron variant, it's tough for Alaskans to find treatment if they find themselves sick with COVID-19.
A white man in a tshirt and tan pants holds a sign that says "I call the shots" in front of other protestors

Alaska health care workers plead for reason as COVID misinformation persists

Some patients continue to request unproven treatments like Ivermectin and hydroxycholorquine, and a small number of doctors actually prescribe them despite the lack of data supporting their effectiveness.