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COVID Cases Surge in Valdez

by Sue Bergstrom
Valdez COVID-19 Unified Command

Note: Follow this link to see the recent update to City of Valdez Mandate

NEWS RELEASE # 070

Valdez Weekly Summary

For immediate release: 04/02/2021, 6:00 p.m.

Valdez, AK – Valdez COVID-19 Unified Command provides the following local weekly summary covering developments over the last seven days.

Valdez Case Count Updates & Trends

Since the time of our last weekly summary on Mar. 26, the community of Valdez received notification of 26 new resident cases and five new non-resident cases of COVID-19. Additionally, one previously announced adult resident case was treated at Providence Valdez Medical Center on Thursday for worsening symptoms and transferred by medivac to an Anchorage hospital for further care.

As of midnight on Apr. 1, Valdez has 33 active resident cases and five active non-resident cases. This number reflects the largest number of local active cases since the start of the pandemic. With the exception of the patient hospitalized yesterday, all of the currently active cases are isolating at home or in their place of lodging.

Nineteen of the new resident cases are adults with symptoms, one is an asymptomatic adult, and six are minors with symptoms. (Adults are those 18 years and older. Minors are those 17 years and younger.)

Of the 26 new resident cases, preliminary transmission source investigation indicates:

  • Twenty-two are close contacts of other recent resident cases.
  • Four are linked to recent travel outside Valdez.

All five of the new non-resident cases are adult visitors with symptoms. All five are close contacts of other recent non-resident cases.

Please Protect Our Community & Healthcare System

With the recent spike in local active cases, focus on personal responsibility to prevent further spread is especially important.

  • Got Symptoms or Been Exposed? Get Tested. Testing helps identify where the virus is located in our community, helpsusnotifythosewhomightbeatrisk,andallowsplacementofroadblocks(isolationand quarantine) in the way of the virus to prevent further spread. Multiple options exist in Valdez for free COVID- 19 testing for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Testing promptly and working cooperatively with public health contact tracers helps ensure further spread.
  • Be Careful During Travel – Most of our recent local cases have been linked to travel outside Valdez, either directly or due to close contact with someone who recently traveled. If you must travel, please be extra cautious. If you traveled recently, even within Alaska, please consider completing free COVID-19testing.
  • Consider Vaccination. Free COVID-19 vaccination is available in Valdez to anyone over age 16 who lives or works in Alaska. Public health officials urge our community to consider getting vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and almost 100% effective at preventing severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19. To learn more about the different types of vaccines, visit https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19,

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 two weeks after receiving their second dose in a two- dose series (Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson Janssen). Once fully vaccinated, people outside of healthcare settings may refrain from quarantine or testing following a known exposure to COVID-19, as long as they remain asymptomatic. Additional CDC recommendations for fully vaccinated individuals can be found here: https://bit.ly/3rL1G1o.

  • Practice Personal Responsibility. Remember to stay home if you are sick, even with the sniffles or other minor symptoms. If you test positive for COVID-19 or are identified as a close contact of a positive patient, closely follow instructions from public health, your local physician, and the Valdez City Schools nurse regarding isolation and quarantine requirements. Continue to keep your social circle small and consistent. Avoid gatherings, especially gatherings with individuals outside your household who are not fully vaccinated. Continue to wear a mask which covers your mouth and nose when you are in public or communal spaces outside your residence. Maintain physical distancing. Practice good personal hygiene.

Valdez News Release # 070 – Valdez Weekly Summary

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Local COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Update

Valdez vaccine appointment availability:

  • Appointments remain available for the next Valdez vaccine POD clinic on Apr. 8 (first dose, Moderna).
  • The Valdez vaccine POD clinic on Apr. 15 (single dose, Johnson & Johnson Janssen) is full.
  • Additional April appointments will be added as Valdez receives vaccine allocation from the State of Alaska.
  • Valdez parents/guardians with children age 16 or 17 interested in receiving the Pfizer vaccine should call the Valdez Public Health Clinic to place their name on the waiting list. Pfizer teen vaccination clinics are scheduled each time the waiting list is filled.

Two Valdez options exist to make vaccine appointments:

  • Preferred Appointment Option: Make a vaccination appointment online: http://covidvax.alaska.gov.
  • Alternate Appointment Option: If you do not have internet access or need help, you can also make a vaccination appointment by calling the DHSS Valdez Public Health Center at 907.835.4612.

As of Apr. 2, the following cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered in Valdez:

(These numbers include state and IHS allocations. The numbers include both Valdez residents and those who live/work in Alaska who received vaccination in Valdez.)

  • Pfizer-BioNTech: 323 first doses and 288 second doses.
  • Moderna: 1,177 first doses and 566 second doses.
  • Johnson & Johnson Janssen: 65 single doses
  • Total Number of First Dose Vaccinations Administered: 1,500
  • Total Number of Vaccination Series Completed (second dose or single dose series):919

Those interested in volunteering for upcoming vaccine distribution POD clinics should contact the Valdez Unified Command volunteer coordinator, Rhea Cragun, at 907.843.3416 or rcragun@valdezak.gov. All skill levels are welcome.

Valdez Testing Options

If you think you may have been exposed to the virus which causes COVID-19 or have even one mild symptom, please reach out to the Valdez Public Health Clinic or your medical provider for guidance on next steps.

Multiple options exist for both symptomatic and asymptomatic testing in Valdez. All local testing options are by appointment only and at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient.

  • Providence Valdez Medical Center. Offers both symptomatic and asymptomatic state lab testing.

Call 907.255.6063 to schedule a testing appointment (not a rapid testing option). Those who need pre-procedure testing should call 907.835.2249 for testing appointment instructions.

  • The Alfa Doc. Offers both symptomatic & asymptomatic rapid testing. Call 907.835.2532 to schedule a testing appointment.
  • ValdezCitySchools.Offers symptomatic rapid testing to schooldistrictstudentsandemployeesonly. Call 907.835.4728 to schedule an appointment.
  • Valdez Medical Clinic. Offers symptomatic & asymptomatic rapid testing. Call 907.831.6441 or 907.835.4811 to schedule an appointment.

More Information

For the most up-to-date local information, please continue to monitor the Valdez Unified Command website (www.valdezak.gov/COVID-19) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ValdezUCRG).

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Contact: Allie Ferko, public information officer, Valdez Unified Command, PIO@valdezak.gov, (907) 202-0711.

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