Newest COVID-19 vaccine available in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – An updated version of the COVID vaccine will soon be available anywhere Alaskans go to get vaccinated.

Public health officials said Thursday that the newest COVID-19 vaccine is designed to protect against the most recent variants of the virus and is suitable for people who have gotten every booster or have never had the vaccine before.

The 2024-2025 vaccine was accompanied by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated vaccine recommendations, where they say everyone six months and older should get a vaccine.

Vaccines have already arrived in Alaska, and according to Sarah Aho with the Division of Public Health, will be widely available across the state.

Aho said urban centers have already received shipments, and several clinics in remote areas have too. She recommended people contact their local clinic, Public Health Center, or pharmacy to find their vaccines.

More than four years after COVID’s detection, Aho said the vaccine is being updated yearly, similarly to the flu.

“I feel really hopeful that we are moving on beyond the pandemic and kind of reaching a place of normalcy,” Aho said.

Aho and the CDC emphasize the vaccine is especially important for those at high risk and has the potential to reduce the risk of long-COVID, an illness characterized by long-term health effects from a prior COVID diagnosis.

While the vaccine is suitable for those who have gotten every booster and people receiving it for the first time, guidelines for children six months to four years old vary; Moderna and Pfizer are given in multiple doses depending on their vaccine history.

According to Aho, any questions regarding the safety of vaccines should be asked of a medical provider who knows the patient’s history.

She said this is an especially good idea for people who are immunocompromised.

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