COVID-19 is an airborne illness. It is spread when we breathe, talk, cough, or sneeze. Steps to avoid spreading COVID-19 include: The best way to reduce your chances of getting COVID-19 is by staying up to date with vaccines. Other steps include washing your hands well and often, wearing a high- quality mask, opening windows, and keeping at least 3...READ MORE

COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and death rates are less actively tracked now than they were early in the pandemic. Much of the available data is from 2023 or earlier. The increase of at-home testing (as opposed to in-clinic testing) has also made it harder to track infection rates. As of March 2023, the overall case rate for Alaska was 68.1 resident cases...READ MORE

Since March of 2020, 1,640 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 in Alaska....READ MORE

It is becoming more difficult to find statewide COVID-19 vaccination data. As of August 2023, 57% of Alaskans were fully vaccinated, and 14% had received a booster dose. Statewide vaccination rates were highest for Elders 65+ (76% primary vaccine, 36% boosted) and adults 18+ (66% primary vaccine, 17% boosted) compared to youth 0-17 (29% primary vaccine, 5% boosted). The most...READ MORE

This web page allows you to search for places you can get a COVID, flu, RSV, or pnumonia vaccine near you. You select the type of vaccine you want, enter your ZIP code, and it shows you on a map, and in a list, where you can get a vaccine....READ MORE

Scientists have been studying messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines for more than 20 years. Unlike some types of older vaccines, mRNA vaccines do not use weakened or inactivated viruses. Instead, the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines stimulate muscle cells to produce harmless spike proteins found on the outer shell of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. These proteins trigger an immune response that...READ MORE

In May 2023, the CDC ended the public health emergency declaration linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. They did this because “as a nation, we now find ourselves at a different point in the pandemic – with more tools and resources than ever before to better protect ourselves and our communities.” But that does not mean COVID-19 is no longer a...READ MORE

Often times, viruses and bacteria change over time through a process called mutation, which produces new variants. Old vaccines do not always work against new variants. Additionally, no vaccine provides 100% protection. Vaccines can also lose their effectiveness over time. This decline in effectiveness is normal and does not mean the COVID-19 vaccines don’t work. Getting updated vaccine shots as...READ MORE

Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 protects you from getting seriously sick, being hospitalized, and from dying from COVID-19....READ MORE

There are three vaccines in use in the US as of fall 2025; follow the link for a comparison of each:...READ MORE