Hit hardest by COVID-19, Alaska's Pacific Islanders face death and severe illness at an alarming rate

Alaska Public Media | By Lex Treinen

Published November 6, 2020 at 12:29 AM AKST

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A grey-haired samoan man with a cane stands in the middle of several pews on a blue floor — William Tauanuu or "Pastor Willie" as he's better known in the Pacific Islander community, at the University Baptist Church on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. Tauanuu spent 44 days in the hospital, three weeks of which he spent on a ventilator in a coma with COVID-19. He says his faith and hope got him through the experience, but he hopes that the Islander community will tighten up COVID-19 precautions like masking and distancing. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Publlc Media)

In Alaska, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are being hit harder by the pandemic than any other group.

“Specifically in Anchorage, it’s horrible,” said Joseph Seia, a former resident who now lives in Seattle working with the nationwide Pacific Islander COVID-19 Response Team.

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Lex Treinen

Lex Treinen is covering the state Legislature for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at ltreinen@gmail.com.

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