Alaska's Chief Medical Officer @annezinkmd helped to coordinate one of the nation's most successful vaccine distribution efforts to date, which is remarkable considering the rural communities in the state.

She told #Solvable's @anneapplebaum these were the keys to their success:

Use Every Resource Available:

"We have had dogsleds and helicopters and boat-up vaccines and ferries and planes and people showing up on snow machines to get vaccinated.”

Empower Community Efforts:

“We do have 229 independent sovereign tribes in the state of Alaska who have their own distribution. We are partnered with them at every level to get it out.”

Ask For Help:

“I think it's something that we can do more of as a country, is being able to ask each other for help ... It doesn't just have to be the nurse or the doctor or the state or the federal government to do this. It really takes all of us.”

Work Collectively:

“When a state could work collectively together or a country could work collectively together, despite large differences of opinions, they did better. There were less cases, there were less deaths ... COVID really takes advantage of the cracks between us.”

Get Involved:

“Lean in, get involved. My husband always told me to show up for the climb. Show up for your community. Ask how you can help. Every state and every county and every community is a little bit different, but there are lots of volunteer organizations.”

Listen to the full interview: http://podcasts.pushkin.fm/solvable-anne-zink?sid=twitter