Health

The Alaska Department of health reported an unvaccinated adult displayed measles symptoms while traveling back to the state.

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is on the rise in Alaska. Health officials say the best way to protect yourself is through vaccines.

Parents gathered with local youth educators and counselors to discuss various teen mental health concerns and resources at Homer Middle School.

It’s National Public Health Week, which recognizes the contributions of public health and highlights issues that are important to improving our nation's health. The American Public Health Association has organized the annual event in early April for over 25 years.

The nonprofits Hospice of Homer and Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska are putting on four events in Homer this week to raise awareness and provide support for residents with Alzheimer’s disease, and related disabilities, as well as their caregivers.

South Peninsula Hospital is closing its COVID-19 testing site Friday after nearly three years of providing services in Homer.

South Peninsula Hospital’s specialty clinic on Bartlett street has run out of Moderna Bivalent booster doses, according to Derotha Ferraro, director of public relations for the hospital. Last week, the SPH COVID clinic received a shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Bivalent vaccines, but due to high local demand, all 300 of the Moderna doses have run out.

South Peninsula Hospital’s COVID-19 Test and Vaccine Clinic is offering free COVID-19 Bivalent booster shots by appointment.These mRNA boosters contain vaccines against the original strain of the virus that causes COVID-19, and the newest Omicron BA.5 variant.Anyone over 12 years of age is eligible for the new booster, as long as they’ve completed the primary vaccine series and it’s been more than two months since their last shot.

If you believe that you may have contracted the monkeypox virus, Carroll encourages consulting and testing with your health care provider or with someone at the Homer Public Health Center. While there are a limited number of the vaccines available statewide, the Homer Public Health Center does have doses of the monkeypox vaccine. They recommend those most at risk to get the two-shot JYNNEOS vaccine. The Homer Public Health Center is the only facility on the Southern Kenai peninsula offering it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed guidance related to COVID-19 on Aug. 11, and the Lower Kenai Peninsula followed suit, despite maintaining a high alert status.