The state Department of Health and Social Services announced its first two pediatric COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, along with six adult deaths caused by the virus, bringing the total to 1,060 since the pandemic began.

The two pediatric COVID deaths occurred in infants under 12 months in Anchorage and the Matanuska-Susitna region in 2021, according to state officials.

“They were from a while ago, but the death certificate process — it kind of caught up and is now out,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink said during a public science session Wednesday.

Among the newly reported adult COVID deaths, two of the six were Soldotna residents.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids have represented almost one-fifth — 18.6% — of all COVID cases in the United States since the pandemic began.

Health experts widely agree getting vaccinated against COVID will help slow the spread and protect both children and adults from severe illness, hospitalization and death, but vaccines aren’t currently approved for kids under 5 years old.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved for everyone 5 years and older, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines are approved for anyone 18 and older. Pfizer boosters are OK’d for those 12 and older at least five months after the second dose of the primary series.

But the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may soon expand vaccine approval for kids younger than 5.

On Tuesday Pfizer submitted clinical data to the FDA to amend the current emergency use authorization to include small children from 6 months through 4 years.

“Basically, right now we wait,” Dr. Lisa Rabinowitz, a physician with the state, said. “We are just as anxious to see the data as you are and we will continue to update everyone on them. But potentially, within the next month we could have vaccines.”

Statewide, as of Wednesday, 24.8% of kids ages 5 to 11 had received at least one COVID vaccine, and 19.3% were fully vaccinated, officials said.

Dr. Mishelle Nace, a pediatrician in Fairbanks, said during Wednesday’s session that while studies show that children tend to have a more robust immune response to COVID than adults do, some are still getting sick.

“And so as more kids do get sick, then percentage-wise some of those kids are going to be those who progress to severe disease,” Nace said. “And so if we can avoid that, that’s our goal.

Alaska COVID cases have surged recently, the vast majority of them caused by the omicron variant of the virus.

Because many omicron cases have reportedly been less symptomatic, and because of the increasing availability of at-home COVID test kits, state officials with the DHSS are encouraging people to use hospitalizations and death metrics to determine the severity of the state’s COVID spread.

There were a total of 197 COVID-related hospitalizations in Alaska as of Wednesday, with five of those patients on ventilators. A week prior on Jan. 26, there were 153 COVID hospitalizations and four patients intubated.

The state reported a two-day combined total of 4,147 new cases on Wednesday, which represented cases sequenced on Monday and Tuesday. The average number of daily cases over the past week as of Friday was 1,922.3 per 100,000 people, which surpasses the threshold for high risk over 19 times. This seven-day average figure estimates a daily case count proportionate to population by averaging the actual number of reported cases each day over the previous week.

New cases reported Wednesday included 99 in Soldotna, 70 in Kenai, 43 in Homer, 20 in the Kenai Peninsula Borough North, 12 in Seward, 10 in both Anchor Point and Sterling, seven in the Kenai Peninsula Borough South, six in Nikiski and one in Fritz Creek.

Getting a vaccine

COVID-19 vaccines do not cost money, nor do they required medical insurance. Many organizations on the central peninsula — including Walmart, Walgreens, the Kenai Fire Department and Kenai Public Health — offer vaccines.

Additionally, Soldotna Professional Pharmacy hosts a walk-in clinic in its strip mall storefront at the “Y” intersection of the Sterling and Kenai Spur highways. The clinic is open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Vaccination appointments can also be scheduled through the online portal PrepMod, which can be accessed at myhealth.alaska.gov.

A map of vaccine providers can be found on DHSS’ COVID-19 vaccine website at covidvax.alaska.gov.

People who would like assistance scheduling a vaccination appointment can call the Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management call center. The center operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. The central peninsula call center can be reached at 907-262-4636. The Homer call center can be reached at 907-235-4636. The Seward call center can be reached at 907-224-4636.

Testing locations

Officials encourage anyone with symptoms to test for COVID-19, despite vaccination status.

In Kenai, testing is available at Odyssey Family Practice, Kenai Public Health Center and Capstone Clinic. At-home test kits are also available for free at Kenai Public Health.

In Soldotna, testing is available at the Peninsula Community Health Center, Urgent Care of Soldotna, Walgreens and Soldotna Professional Pharmacy.

In Homer, testing is available at South Peninsula Hospital, or through other area health care providers at Seldovia Village Tribe Health and Wellness, Kachemak Medical Group and Homer Medical Center. In Seward, testing is available at Providence Medical Center, , Glacier Family Medicine, Seward Community Health Center and the Safeway pharmacy.

Reach reporter Camille Botello at camille.botello@peninsulaclarion.com.