The Eastern Aleutian Tribes health organization has received an allocation of COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government where they will use to vaccinate seafood industry workers and community members of Dutch Harbor/Unalaska and other Aleutian communities. Akutan residents and seafood industry workers from land-based processing plants and vessels were vaccinated on March 17. Eight vessels received vaccinations in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, and a community event vaccinated shore-based seafood workers on March 18.
The additional allotment of the COVID-19 vaccine was received through the Federally Qualified Health Centers program. The Eastern Aleutian Tribes are eligible to receive vaccine for community distribution. More than 2,500 doses of the vaccine were administered with plans for more vaccinations in the near future. Eastern Aleutian Tribes, the city of Unalaska, Iliuliuk Family & Health Services Clinic, and the Alaska COVID-19 Unified Command, and others partnered to coordinate the delivery of the vaccine to remote communities.
Paul Mueller, CEO of Eastern Aleutian Tribes said, “The best way to protect Alaskans from COVID-19 is to get shots into as many arms as possible. The partnerships we forged really shined, allowing us to move very quickly to vaccinate every person in our communities that wanted to be vaccinated. We knew we had this vaccine coming, we prepared as a team, and at the end of the day we are really proud that we could use this vaccine allotment as effectively as we did.”
Vaccinating the seafood industry will reduce the risk of COVID-19 having severe health outcomes in remote communities who have limited healthcare. The state continues to take steps to ensure that private businesses, including commercial fishing industry, can keep operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Employers who use out-of-state employees are encouraged to submit Community/Workforce Protective Plans, implement social distancing measures to protect workers and communities, and conduct regular testing and screening.