State medical experts are hosting a virtual vaccination info session and Q&A for Haines residents on Monday, Nov. 8, at 6:30 p.m.

Three state doctors—chief medical officer Anne Zink, pharmacist Coleman Cutchins and pediatrician Mishelle Nace—will present overviews of the recently approved vaccine for children and adult booster shots. The state medical officers also will answer questions from the public. The Haines Borough Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is hosting the event in partnership with the Haines Borough School District, SEARHC and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

“I think this is a great place for people to get information. It’s just information, not a position,” said EOC commander Carolann Wooton. “I just want people to be able to have information so they can make the best informed decisions for themselves and their child’s health.”

Questions can be submitted in advance to eoc@haines.ak.us. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions during the event and interact live with the state doctors. A Zoom link and meeting information can be found on the borough website’s calendar. The event will also stream on Facebook Live @hainesEOC.

The FDA recently approved for emergency use and the CDC recommended the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11. The federal agencies previously approved and recommended booster shots of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for adults.

Vaccines are available at the Haines Health Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment. Anyone over the age of 18 can receive a booster shot. SEARHC is planning to begin administering the Pfizer vaccine for eligible children in the next week or two.

As of Wednesday, the state COVID-19 dashboard said there have been 225 cases, three hospitalizations and one death in the borough.

Despite a recent decline in COVID-19 cases in Haines, the borough saw its first COVID-related death two weeks ago. On Oct. 22, lifelong Haines resident David Land, 77, died of complications from the virus at Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage, where he had gone for care.

On Tuesday the EOC announced three active COVID-19 cases in Haines, all expected to recover by the end of the week. The EOC on Oct. 22 said that it would stop providing daily COVID-19 updates due to a lack of community virus transmission. “We are officially transitioning from our ‘elevated’ risk level of the past couple of months, back to our pre-surge ‘medium’ risk level,” the announcement read. “Rest assured that if our situation changes and we should experience another surge we will resume providing updates to keep you informed.”

Citing the drop in cases and no known local spread of the virus, borough manager Annette Kreitzer lifted mask requirements in borough facilities on Oct. 21.