Mat-Su Borough EMS receive second COVID-19 vaccine doses this week

PALMER — Mat-Su Borough Emergency Medical Services Chief Tracey Loscar provided an update to the Mat-Su Borough Assembly on Tuesday concerning the vaccinations of local first responders.

“To date we’ve vaccinated 130 responders all the way from Sutton up through Talkeetna so we’ve been able to get a pretty broad spread. The boosters actually start this week. For an overall state update the Alaska allotment is 114,800, 52,00 are the Moderna and 62,00 are the Pfizer. They are both mrna vaccines that require two doses,” said Loscar.

Loscar said that local EMS can order and administer their own vaccines and that the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has been incredibly supportive. Alaskans ages 65 and older became eligible on Wednesday to register on the state’s vaccine website for their own appointments starting on Monday. Loscar said that the Moderna vaccine is primarily being used in outlying areas because it is able to last longer outside of a refrigerated area.

“As far as our responders and across the board right now, we’re sitting at for first round at about 50 to 60 percent vaccinated. We’ve had no major reactions, your arm hurts, headache, fatigue, nobody’s reported anything else and the boosters start this week from that round and that’s where we’re at right now,” said Loscar. “Ideally we’d get everybody who is eligible vaccinated, but the numbers across the board are pretty consistent right now, only about 50 to 70 percent are interested and that number may change because some people are waiting to see more data.”a

Mat-Su Borough Assemblyman Jesse Sumner asked if vaccines were mandatory for first responders to which Loscar answered that they are optional. Teachers are being vaccinated as part of Tier 2 along with other grocery employees, utility workers and postal service workers. All members of Law enforcement will also be vaccinated as part of Tier 2. Assemblyman Rob Yundt asked Loscar when she estimated that average citizens would be able to get vaccinated, to which she offered a ‘complete conjecture’. Loscar estimated that Tier 4 would be finished by March and that citizens may be able to receive vaccinations early this summer.