Haines’ coronavirus outbreak, which seemed to ebb not long ago, rose again this week. The borough’s active case count rose to 43 on Wednesday, up from 22 a week before and six two weeks earlier. No hospitalizations have been reported.
“We were hoping it was waning but there was a resurgence,” said interim borough manager Alekka Fullerton at a Tuesday assembly meeting. “It really doesn’t make any difference if we have 30 cases in Haines, or if we have 27 cases in Haines, or if we have 18 cases in Haines. The reality is we have community transmission of COVID.”
Community transmission means spread beyond close contacts, marked by untraceable cases.
A high school student tested positive on Wednesday but no students had to quarantine because classmates were wearing masking, said superintendent Roy Getchell.
Fullerton encouraged residents to keep their social bubbles small, wear masks and wash hands. “Vaccination is still our best tool,” she said.
According to state data, 73% of Haines’ eligible population is vaccinated. Fullerton said the increase in breakthrough cases in Haines might be caused by waning immunity from vaccines and the spread of the delta variant. More than four in five cases statewide are among unvaccinated people.
The federal government announced in August that booster vaccine shots would be widely available by Sept. 20. But the New York Times reported this week that federal officials are split on booster policy. In August the FDA authorized vaccine for immuno-compromised people.
Cases are rising statewide. Alaska’s largest hospital, Providence, in Anchorage, is rationing medical care amid a crush of patients and staff shortages, according to an Anchorage Daily News report this week. “We’re out of beds. Life saving measures are not going to be possible in every case,” Leslie Gonsette, a doctor at Providence, told the ADN.
Only 24 ICU beds are available out of 125 statewide, according to the state COVID-19 dashboard.
Southeast is faring better with hospital capacity, but officials have warned residents to be proactive, before it’s too late.