Safety Steps
I know COVID-19 is on everyone’s mind. It’s scary, and we need to keep taking care of each other. The legislature just announced restricted access to the Capitol: only legislators, staff, and the press can come inside for a while. The governor is temporarily closing schools and limiting visitors to some state facilities.
To be clear – there aren’t any known cases of community transmission in Alaska. Many of these measures are more cautious than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for our situation. It's one of those "prepare, don't panic" scenarios.
Speaking of preparation, we fast-tracked a bill allowing up to $9 million in federal funds and $4 million in state dollars to respond to coronavirus. We’ve got excellent health experts in our state and local governments leading the way. And we have fantastic community organizations like the Salvation Army, who’ve made clear they'll keep their doors open to help everyone in need. There's also been some extra training and staff at Alaska 211, so you can dial those three digits if you need answers.
Why prepare? COVID-19 will come to Southeast Alaska eventually. We need to take extra precautions to make sure we don’t get our elders sick or pass it to people with compromised lungs or immune systems. So be conscientious, clean surfaces regularly, and wash your hands! (If you want a fund reminder of how long is long enough washing your hands, check this out.)
There will be more challenges coming. Local businesses are feeling the pinch already, and assuming this lasts into the tour season, jobs will suffer. If you can swing it, have dinner out and plan to see some sights this spring. Our neighbors are going to need a hand.
And look on the bright side: It used to be no matter how long the line for the bathroom, there was always a sink free to wash my hands. Now it doesn't matter how few guys are in the restroom, there's always a line for the sink. That's progress!
