FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 2, 2021
Contact: Reba Lean, Public Relations Manager
Phone: 907-443-9674
Nome, Alaska – A Nome resident and a non-resident of the region tested positive for COVID-19 in Nome on Monday, March 1. Both cases are now safely isolating.
The Nome resident’s case is believed to be community spread. NSHC has identified the patient’s close contacts, who will be instructed to quarantine.
The other case identified in Nome was found in an Anchorage resident who traveled into the region and was tested as part of the City of Nome’s travel requirements.
These two cases add to the region’s total active case count, which is now five. There are three active cases in Nome, one in Golovin and one in Unalakleet.
NSHC announced on Monday that the region’s eligible adult population is now 57% vaccinated against COVID-19 with at least a first dose. The region as a whole, including adults and children, is 46% vaccinated. NSHC’s goal is to bring the region as a whole to herd immunity at 80% vaccinated.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over the weekend. It represents the third vaccine approved for usage for adults against the virus. NSHC expects to have this single-dose vaccine available later in March.
NSHC encourages patients who have not yet been vaccinated to do so for the safety of themselves, their families and their community. The mRNA vaccines that NSHC currently has on hand – the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines – are 95% effective against infection and 100% effective against death from the virus. They have also proven effective against infectious variants of the virus.
If you have questions or concerns about the vaccine, please reach out to NSHC’s medical staff for answers by emailing or by calling into NSHC’s daily call every Monday-Thursday at 11 a.m. at 1-800-315-6338; access code 03286#.
