COVID-19 Q&A: When will commercial truck drivers be eligible?

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaska News Source is answering viewer questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Question:

When will transportation workers such as commercial drivers be allowed to get the vaccine? Does it depend on what age the driver is? - Anna

Answer:

Age matters, but only on an individual basis. That’s according to the priority groups identified in the state’s phased vaccine eligibility plan.

If you are 65 or over, you are currently eligible to receive the vaccine right now.

The next group to become eligible will be front-line essential workers aged 50 and over, which could include commercial truck drivers depending on the sector they’re working in. Seafood industry and grocery store employees aged 50 and over are included in this upcoming tier.

The date this next group will become eligible is not yet known.

Dr. Anne Zink, the state’s chief medical officer, said Wednesday most of February will be spent continuing to vaccinate individuals who are 65 years old and over, health care workers and people living in congregate settings.

More information on phases, tiers and who’s eligible now and who will become eligible next is available on the State of Alaska Vaccine Eligibility web page.