Children as young as 12 can soon get Pfizer vaccination at Spit clinic

Pop-up clinic is part of ‘Sleeves Up for Summer’ campaign

Free, walk-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be held from 3-7 p.m. every Thursday through June at the Boathouse Pavilion on the Homer Spit. The single-dose Janssen vaccine and the two-dose Pfizer vaccine will be offered.

As an incentive to get more Alaskans vaccinated for COVID-19, anyone getting the jab at the pop-up clinics will receive $40 in Homer Bucks, the local currency sponsored by the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center that can be spent at area businesses. The incentive program will be available through June for anyone who receives a vaccine at weekly Thursday clinics on the Spit.

All participants also will be entered to win weekly drawings for $100 to $500 gift certificates at local businesses. People already vaccinated with one or two doses can show their vaccine cards or give the dates of their vaccine at the clinic to get entered in the drawing.

South Peninsula Hospital and the city of Homer offer the weekly Thursday pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Nurses also will be at the clinic to talk about the COVID-19 vaccines.

The Pfizer vaccine is now approved for children age 12 and older and all adults. Parental consent is required for minors. No identification is needed to get the vaccine.

The state, municipalities and local hospitals have been holding clinics this spring as part of its Sleeves Up for Summer campaign to increase the vaccination rate in Alaska.

As of Tuesday, 280,587 Alaskans age 12 and older are fully vaccinated, with 319,451 having received at least one dose.

As percentages, 46% of Alaskans 12 and older were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 53% had received at least one dose, according to information from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough continues to rank third-lowest in percentages of those fully vaccinated, with 40% compared to Juneau at 66%. In the borough, 43% have received at least one dose. Of peninsula seniors 65 and older, 62% were fully inoculated as of Tuesday and almost 64% have received at least one dose.

SPH continues to offer walk-in vaccines daily from noon-5 p.m. at 4201 Bartlett Street, and by appointment at www.sphosp.org. Free COVID-19 testing is offered at this site daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, talk to your doctor or call 235-0235 for additional information.