Norton Sound Health Corporation

Bering Strait Region Health Care

COVID-19 Vaccination Updates

Updated 12/10/2021

The CDC expanded COVID-19 booster recommendations to 16- and 17-year-olds. People aged 16 and older are eligible to receive a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster dose at least six months after completing the primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Updated 11/4/2021

The pediatric COVID-19 vaccine supplies have arrived in Nome, and appointments for the 5-11 age group are now available through www.picktime.com/NSHC. Each dose of the pediatric Pfizer vaccine will contain one-third of the adult dosage, and it is safe and effective. Like adult vaccines, children should receive two doses, spaced three weeks apart.

Earlier this week, an advisory panel with the Center of Disease Control officially voted to approve an Emergency Use Authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11 years old.

Updated 10/18/2021

On Friday, Oct. 15, an advisory committee with the Food and Drug Administration shared the recommendation that Johnson & Johnson booster vaccines could be administered to individuals aged 18 and older that has already received J&J’s first shot at least two months after the initial dose.

Last week, the FDA also voted to recommend emergency use authorization of a booster dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna had asked for a half dose of its vaccine to be used as a booster for immunocompromised people who have completed their initial two shot series at least six months ago.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to meet Oct. 20 to weigh endorsing an additional Moderna dose and said it will consider and decide who should get the booster shot of Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Per CDC recommendations, booster shots of Pfizer-BioNTech are currently available for those who are aged 18-64 years with medical conditions, employees and residents at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission, and long-term care setting residents aged 18 years and older. NSHC currently has booster shots available to anyone who is aged 18 and older and has completed their initial two shot series at least six months ago.

In Nome, COVID-19 vaccinations are available at the following places and times:

  • Nome NSHC Pharmacy: walk in Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m. Appointments are available Monday-Saturday at www.picktime.com/NSHC.
  • Nome Airport: Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are offered to all incoming passengers 12 years and older.

In the village, please call your local clinic to be added to a waitlist or to schedule an appointment.

Updated 9/7/2021

Beginning today, September 7, NSHC will be offering Moderna and Pfizer booster COVID-19 vaccinations. Appointments will be open to anyone who is at least six months past their second dose of Moderna or Pfizer. For people who received either Moderna’s or Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine series, a third dose of the same vaccine is recommended.
In Nome, the COVID-19 booster vaccinations will only be available at the pharmacy. To schedule an appointment in Nome, please visit https://www.picktime.com/NSHC.
In a village, anyone eligible can schedule a booster vaccine appointment by calling their local clinic.

Updated 5/13/2021

Norton Sound Health Corporation is now offering Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 12-15. On Monday, May 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine and on Wednesday, May 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee also approved the vaccine for this age group.

NSHC will send vaccines to the village schools beginning Thursday, May 13 with tentative plans to administer the vaccine on Friday, May 14, once parents or guardians have filled out NSHC’s consent form and reviewed the fact sheet.

In Nome, the Pfizer vaccine is available for anyone ages 12 and up, by appointment or walk-in. To schedule an appointment, please visit www.picktime.com/NSHC. 

Parents and guardians can visit the links below to preview the Pfizer vaccine fact sheet and sign the consent form for their child’s vaccinations here:

If your child has received any other type of vaccination within the last 14 days, they can still receive the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine. In addition, the FDA declared the Pfizer vaccine is safe and offers strong protection for younger teens based on testing of more than 2,000 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15. Researchers also found that children developed higher levels of virus-fighting antibodies than earlier studies measured in young adults.

Vaccinating children is seen as crucial to ending the pandemic and returning to normalcy. This region is more likely to reach herd immunity once children are vaccinated against COVID-19.

NSHC is aiming for herd immunity with a target of 70-80% of the entire region vaccinated, including children under the age of 16. Currently, 58% of the total population has been vaccinated. The region is 12-22% away from meeting the herd immunity goal, when things may safely reopen and return to normal.

If you have questions or concerns about the vaccine, you can call into NSHC’s Tribal Leader Call on Monday or Wednesday at 1-800-315-6338; access code 03286#, or email NSHC’s medical staff for answers at .

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration two weeks ago. It represents the third vaccine approved for usage for adults against the virus.
NSHC expects to have this single-dose vaccine available this week for adults 18 and older. This vaccine does not require a booster and you will be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving just one dose.
To get on the waitlist for this vaccine, please fill out this form https://tinyurl.com/nomevaccinewaitlist or call 907-443-4567 for help making an appointment.

Updated 1/29/2021

The NSHC Pharmacy in Nome is now offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. While there is no appointment necessary during these hours, patients who have scheduled an appointment will take preference over walk-in patients. Please note that NSHC cannot accommodate walk-ins during the lunch hour, after 3p.m., or on the weekend. For priority vaccination, please schedule an appointment at picktime.com/NSHC

Updated 1/20/2021

Norton Sound Health Corporation is now expanding COVID-19 vaccinations in Nome to everyone 16 and older. Book your appointment at our Picktime site

Please look closely at the Picktime appointment options and choose the NSHC Pharmacy location for vaccinations.

NSHC has a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines and will not be resupplied until February. This will not affect individuals who are expecting a second dose; they will still be guaranteed a second dose.

Update 1/12/21

Norton Sound Health Corporation is now expanding COVID-19 vaccinations in Nome to the following:

  • Everyone who was eligible before (frontline healthcare workers, first responders, long-term care center residents and staff members)
  • Anyone 50 years and older
  • Anyone 16-49 years old with two or more of the following high-risk medical conditions:
    • Cancer (current disease)
    • Chronic kidney disease
    • COPD
    • Down Syndrome
    • Heart disease including heart failure, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy (not hypertension)
    • Immunosuppression from solid organ transplant
    • Obesity with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30
    • Pregnancy
    • Sickle Cell Disease
    • Smoking
    • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Essential workers (among the following list)
    • Group 1 essential workers
      • First responders (NPD, AST, NVAD, NVFD)
      • Educators (teachers, support staff, daycare, college instructors and staff)
      • Corrections workers (adult and juvenile, Seaside Center)
      • U.S. Postal Service workers (and couriers)
      • Public transit workers and taxi cab drivers
      • Grocery store workers
      • Staff of homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and similar congregate living facilities
      • Office of Child Services and adult services staff
      • Fisheries/Seafood industry workers
      • Transportation and logistics (airline workers)
    • Group 2 essential workers
      • Food service workers (restaurants)
      • Shelter and housing (construction)
      • Finance
      • IT and communication
      • Energy
      • Media
      • Legal (court system)
      • Public Safety (engineers)
      • Water and wastewater (utilities, trade workers)
      • Food & Agriculture
      • Manufacturing

Vaccinations are still not open to people aged 16-49 who do not have two or more of the listed high-risk medical conditions or who are not part of Group 1 or 2 essential workers. NSHC asks people to please wait their turn and allow these high priority patients to receive their vaccinations first.

Book your appointment at our Picktime site.

*Note: Please pay attention to the Picktime appointment categories when making your appointment. If you have high-risk medical conditions, please include those in the remarks box when booking your appointment.

Posted 1/11/21

NSHC vaccination teams have a big week ahead of them and would like to vaccinate as many first-dose patients as possible. Please call your clinic to make an appointment or find out details on how to receive your vaccine.
Vaccination teams will be starting with any elders, healthcare workers, first responders, or essential workers who have not yet been vaccinated. Vaccinations will then open up to everyone in the community 18 and older.
Below is a schedule for this week. The schedule is subject to changes due to weather. Make sure to get in while a provider is in your community. Doses may be limited.

Posted 1/6/21

Norton Sound Health Corporation has temporarily closed appointments for first doses of COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine in Nome, due to a very limited supply of first dose Pfizer vaccine. NSHC is expecting its next shipment of first dose Pfizer vaccine sometime next week, which will allow those currently eligible for first doses to continue to arrange their appointments. When this new supply arrives, appointment slots will again become available for those who qualify for a first dose. Everyone who is due for their second dose of vaccine will be assured of a second dose.

Please visit our Picktime site to schedule your second dose.

Posted 12/24/20

NSHC COVID-19 vaccinations now total 822. NSHC has opened vaccinations to frontline healthcare workers, residents of its long-term care center, first responders, elders 65 years and older and will be opening up appointments early next week for the Group 1 phase of essential workers, including the following:

  1. Daycare and K-12 teachers and support staff
  2. Grocery store workers
  3. Cab/Taxi drivers
  4. Airline customer facing workers including Pilots, TSA, Gate/Desk Agents
  5. U.S. Postal Service workers
  6. Corrections workers, including adult and juvenile corrections and Seaside staff
  7. Staff of homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters and similar congregate living facilities
  8. Office of Child Services and Adult Services Staff
  9. Fisheries/Seafood industry workers

Group 1 essential workers can schedule an appointment at www.picktime.com/NSHC. NSHC asks that you wait until you are out of travel or close contact quarantine before scheduling an appointment. You will not be able to get your vaccination until you have been cleared by an NSHC staff member. Please be prepared to wait an additional 15-30 minutes after your appointment as a NSHC staff member monitors for any signs of vaccine reaction.

Posted 12/21/20

NSHC was able to open vaccination access to elders 80 years and older on December 18, and has now extended that availability to elders aged 65 years and older as of December 21.
If you are an elder who is 65 or older, please sign up for an appointment here: https://www.picktime.com/NSHC. Be prepared to wait an additional 15-30 minutes after your appointment as a NSHC staff member monitors for any signs of vaccine reaction.

Posted 12/21/20

V-Safe is a text messaging-based app that is being used to monitor patients who have received the COVID-19 vaccination. The app conducts personalized health check-ins with each patient. V-safe will also remind patients when it is time to get their second vaccine dose if necessary. You can opt-in for this tool by visiting vsafe.cdc.gov after you have received your vaccine.

v-safe-information-sheet-508 (002)

Posted 12/18/20

Today, December 18, NSHC is ahead of schedule and can now start vaccinating elders who are 80 years and older until 6 P.M. tonight. Elders can also set up an appointment for tomorrow, December 19 between 9 A.M to 6 P.M. Please be prepared to wait 15-30 minutes after the vaccination so an NSHC staff member can monitor for any reaction.
Elders can schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment for today or tomorrow at https://www.picktime.com/NSHC

Posted 12/17/20

The COVID-19 Vaccine arrived to Nome yesterday. The QCC Residents and staff, direct patient care staff, and EMS/First responders/Fire Personnel in Nome are scheduled to receive the vaccine this week. The vaccine received yesterday, is very fragile and could not be shipped to the villages. However, NSHC will receive a special vaccine shipment next week, which will be prepared and shipped to the villages.  A written update will be provided to the communities when the vaccine is available.

NSHC plans to now start vaccinating Elders First by Date of Birth in Nome. Staff will communicate when NSHC is ready to start vaccinating various age groups. The first age group will be 80 and over starting on Monday, 12/ 21/20.  Please go to www.picktime.com/NSHC if you are 80 and older to schedule an appointment. In addition to vaccinating by age group,  NSHC will be reaching out directly by phone to patients age 16 and older with certain medical conditions, to invite them to pharmacy for a vaccination.

NSHC understands some community members are homebound. Please call or text 907-434-0461. Medical personnel will return your message and discuss a safe vaccine plan with you and your family.

Posted 12/10/20