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HomeTop News16 More Bring Total To 85 COVID-19 Cases In Alaska
MARCH 27, 2020AUTHOR: SUZANNE DOWNING19 COMMENTS
16 more bring total to 85 COVID-19 cases in Alaska
FIRST DEATH INSIDE ALASKA, NEW TRAVEL MANDATES
The Department of Health and Social Service said 16 more cases of the COVID-19 virus have been identified in Alaska. The case total is 85 and the first death inside Alaska has been announced.
The death was a woman of 63 with underlying medical conditions, who checked into the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage after testing positive earlier this week. Another Alaskan died earlier this month at a Seattle area health care facility where he was being cared for in regards to a different health problem he was experiencing.
The current count of the Wuhan coronavirus in Alaska includes:
Anchorage: 43
Girdwood: 1
Fairbanks/North Pole/Interior: 19
Mat/Su: 2
Ketchikan: 12
Juneau: 4
Kenai Peninsula communities: 5
New mandates were introduced by Commissioner of Health and Social Services Adam Crum.
The 11th health mandate requires people, as much as possible, to stay home and when possible work from home. Outdoor activity can be undertaken so long as people stay six feet away from each other.
The 12th health mandate puts an end to all nonessential travel within the state.
Health Mandate 011 – Social Distancing
Effective 5 p.m. March 28, 2020:
All persons in Alaska, except for those engaged in essential health care services, public government services, and essential business activities, are mandated to remain at their place of residence and practice social distancing. For the purpose of this mandate, social distancing is defined as maintaining a distance of six feet or greater from any individuals with whom you do not currently reside. Read the “Mandate 11 & 12 FAQ’s” for more details, which can be found here:
dhss.alaska.gov/dph/Epi/id/Pages/COVID-19/default.aspxCritical infrastructure includes those items listed in “Alaska’s Essential Services and Critical Infrastructure” (formerly Attachment A)
gov.alaska.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/03232020-COVID-19-Health-Mandate-010-Attachment-A.pdfI. The Governor orders individuals to abide by the following:
Work from home as much as possible (see Alaska Essential Services and Critical Workforce Infrastructure Order).
Immediately isolate any family member who is ill.
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-prevent-spread.html#precautionsOutdoor activity (e.g., walking, hiking, bicycling, running, fishing or hunting) is permitted when a distance of six or more feet can be maintained between individuals not in the same household.
Any individual who exhibits symptoms of illness must not leave their home, including to work, except as necessary to seek or receive medical care.
All individuals shall cease participation in public or private gatherings that include non-household members, regardless of the number of people involved. This includes, but is not limited to, weddings, faith gatherings, graduations, and funeral events.
Individuals experiencing homelessness are exempt from this mandate but are urged to obtain shelter.
II. The Governor orders the closure of non-essential businesses:
All businesses within Alaska, except those listed in Alaska Essential Services and Critical Workforce Infrastructure Order, are required to cease all activities at facilities located within the state except Minimum Basic Operations, as defined in Section II(c). For clarity, businesses may also continue operations consisting exclusively of employees or contractors performing activities at their own residences (i.e., working from home).
For purposes of this Mandate, covered businesses include any for-profit, non-profit, or educational entities, regardless of the nature of the service, the function they perform, or corporate or entity structure.
“Minimum Basic Operations” include the following, provided that employees comply with Social Distancing Requirements as defined in this Section, to the extent possible, while carrying out such operations:
The minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the business’s inventory, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or for related functions.
The minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees of the business being able to continue to work remotely from their residences.
III. The Governor orders employers to abide by the following:
Businesses providing essential services and critical infrastructure will, to the extent reasonably feasible, take reasonable precautions to ensure the health of their service sector and employees.
Public-facing businesses providing essential services and critical infrastructure will proactively promote social distancing between employees and others, including, but not limited to, expanding delivery options, drive-through services, limiting the number of individuals in a building, clearly spacing lines to keep individuals six feet apart, or making appointment times to minimize interactions between members of the public.
Employers will evaluate which of their employees can feasibly work remotely from home and to the extent reasonable, take steps to enable employees to work from home.
A violation of a state COVID-19 Mandate may subject a business or organization to an order to cease operations and/or a civil fine of up to $1,000 per violation.
In addition to the potential civil fines noted above, a person or organization that fails to follow the state COVID-19 Mandates designed to protect the public health from this dangerous virus and its impact may, under certain circumstances, also be criminally prosecuted for Reckless Endangerment pursuant to Alaska Statute 11.41.250. Reckless endangerment is defined as follows:
(a) A person commits the crime of reckless endangerment if the person recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person.
(b) Reckless endangerment is a class A misdemeanor.
Pursuant to Alaska Statute 12.55.135, a defendant convicted of a class A misdemeanor may be sentenced to a definite term of imprisonment of not more than one year.
Fines
Additionally, under Alaska Statute 12.55.035, a person may be fined up to $25,000 for a class A misdemeanor, and a business organization may be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding the greatest of $2,500,000 for a misdemeanor offense that results in death, or $500,000 for a class A misdemeanor offense that does not result in death.
This mandate supersedes any local government or tribal mandate, directive, or order.
HEALTH MANDATE 12
Travel within the state is prohibited except for essential critical personal needs, such as groceries, fuel, essential health needs, and transporting family members for health care.
Health Mandate 012 – Intrastate Travel – Limiting travel between communities to critical infrastructure or critical personal needs.
Effective 8:00 am March 28, 2020
All in-state travel between communities, whether resident, worker, or visitor, is prohibited unless travel is to support critical infrastructure, or for critical personal needs. Certain Small Alaskan communities may implement further travel restriction pursuant to “Alaska Small Community Emergency Travel Order – Attachment B.”
Personal travel is prohibited except as necessary to meet critical personal needs or work in critical infrastructure jobs. Critical personal needs include buying, selling, or delivering groceries and home goods; obtaining fuel for vehicles or residential needs; transporting family members for out-of-home care, essential health needs, or for purposes of child custody exchanges; receiving essential health care; providing essential health care to a family member; obtaining other important goods; and engaging in subsistence activities. Travelers are reminded to follow social distancing measures, including, to the extent reasonably feasible, keeping six feet away from others, avoiding crowded places, and limiting public gatherings to less than ten people. Read the “Mandate 11 and 12 FAQ’s” for more details.
No one traveling to or from any community for critical reasons or critical personal travel may be subject to any automatic quarantine or isolation on arrival except as allowed under Alaska Statutes or Health Mandates.
Air carriers and other travel-related businesses have no duty to verify that intrastate travelers meet the criteria for permissible travel under this heath mandate. Air carriers shall inquire if travelers are permitted to travel under this mandate and shall rely upon a traveler’s assurance that they are eligible to travel.
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