Alaska on Tuesday became the first state in the nation to raise all adult eligibility requirements for a coronavirus vaccine.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced Tuesday that anyone who lives or works in Alaska and is 16 or older can get a chance. The Pfizer vaccine is available for people 16 years of age or older, while Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines are available for those who are at least 18 years old.
“This historic step is another national novelty in Alaska, but it should come as no surprise. From day one, your response to the pandemic has been virtually the best in the nation,” Dunleavy said in a statement in Alaska. “I could not be more proud of Alaska’s response. From being the first state to offer widespread testing, to maintaining one of the lowest mortality rates in the country, to deploying vaccines to all Alaska volunteers, we came here working together. “
Alaska has had one of the lowest death tolls in the country at 305 and recorded just 91 new cases Monday, according to state data. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been nearly 60,000 cases in the state.
The Dunleavy movement puts Alaska ahead of any other state, which still imposes specific qualifications for residents to get a shot. Last week it opened vaccines to any essential worker aged 55 and over, including first aid and teachers, and people with underlying health issues.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Alaska has administered the highest dose per 100,000 people in any state at 41,376. New Mexico is the only other state to have given more than 40,000 doses per 100,000 people.
States are vying to make vaccines more widely available to expedite the end of the pandemic. Although there are currently three vaccines in circulation, experts have been alarmed by the spread of more infectious variants and the decline in cases across the country.