Juneau residents who want to get vaccinated against newer strains of COVID-19 and the flu ahead of possible upticks of the illnesses during colder months have multiple ways to do so.
The City and Borough of Juneau, the Juneau Public Health Center, Bartlett Regional Hospital and the Juneau School District are sponsoring an updated COVID booster and flu vaccine clinic 10 a.m.-2p.m. Oct. 1 at Floyd Dryden Middle School, 3800 Mendenhall Loop Road, the city recently announced.
The public clinic will offer Pfizer’s updated bivalent COVID-19 booster for people 12 years and older and flu shots for people ages 6 months and up. High-dose flu shots for ages 65 and older will not be available at this clinic.
The updated bivalent booster vaccine, which was recently authorized by the CDC, contains a vaccine for both the original strain of the virus and the omicron variant. Anyone at least 12 years of age is eligible for the COVID-19 booster, as well as if you’ve completed the primary COVID-19 vaccination series and the last booster administered was over two months ago.
Appointments for the clinic can be made at juneau.org/vaccine. Anyone needing assistance with registering can call the Alaska COVID-19 Helpline at (907) 646-3322. Everyone is asked to bring their COVID vaccine card to the clinic.
Safeway in Juneau also offers free flu shots and appointments are required through the website or by calling the pharmacy directly at (907) 523-2060. They also offer a 10% off groceries coupon with every immunization. COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are also available and require an appointment to be scheduled at safeway.com/vaccinations/home.
Scott Watts, owner of Ron’s Apothecary, said they’re also offering free flu shots and while there has been steady interest, he’s not concerned with the supply they currently have on hand.
“There’s definitely a large interest, not as large as the initial series or even the first couple of boosters, but there is a strong interest right now,” Watts said. “Our supply from the state is steady at this point, we have access to the appropriate amount of doses.”
Watts said they’re currently offering both doses of the flu shot and while walk-ins are welcome, appointments are still required for the COVID-19 boosters.
“We have both, the high dose for 65 and above and the standard dose for 64 and below. People can walk in for flu shots or they can call in or make appointments through the website. People do need to make appointments for the booster, though,” Watts said. “It’s currently available and a good option for prevention. The other good option to staying healthy is, as always, to get good sleep and drink lots of water.”
• Contact reporter Jonson Kuhn at jonson.kuhn@juneauempire.com.
