Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz spoke Monday night at Alaska Public Media in Anchorage during a presentation by city leaders and medical authorities. (Video still by Alaska Public Media)
Anchorage-area hospitals are collaborating to establish a drive-thru to test people for COVID-19.
Providence Alaska’s chief medical officer, Dr. Michael Bernstein, said the facility will be on Lake Otis Boulevard and is expected to open Tuesday.
“People can actually stay within their car, and a clinician who will be in protective gear will just go to the window and take a sample, and then they can drive off,” Bernstein said.
In other cities and countries, drive-thru sample collection has helped health care systems test a lot of people quickly, with less risk to clinicians and other patients.
Alaska still has a limited number of tests, but state officials say the number is growing, and the testing criteria are expanding.
Bernstein said the drive-thru is intended for people with mild symptoms, and they must have a referral from their health care provider or an urgent care clinic.
Bernstein spoke Monday night at Alaska Public Media during a presentation by city leaders and medical authorities.
While it was underway, officials in Fairbanks announced that two men there had tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the known case count in Alaska to three. The men are unrelated, but both had traveled recently out of the state, according to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
More than 300 samples from Alaska have tested negative, the state reported as of Tuesday morning.
Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz said at the Alaska Public Media forum that the city’s distance from other large population centers makes it especially important to adopt active measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
“It’s not as if we can drive over to the next state and pick up an extra supply of ventilators,” Berkowitz said.
He and other presenters talked about the need to “flatten the curve” so that everyone doesn’t get sick at the same time and exceed the carrying capacity of the local health care system.
City Manager Bill Falsey likened it to the Anchorage Fire Department: The department responds to 800 fires a year, he said, but it can’t respond to 800 fires at once.
Monday, Berkowitz closed restaurants and bars to on-site eating and drinking, and he banned gatherings of more than 50 people. He said he knows the decision is economically damaging.
“It is unfair that the immediate economic cost of this situation, that the closures that I ordered, is going to be felt disproportionately by people who are, in many ways, least able to absorb it,” Berkowitz said. “I am incredibly aware of that. And it is something that we are working tirelessly to solve.”
Berkowitz said he’s asking the state to speed up unemployment benefits. And he wants the federal government to provide stimulus money for local businesses that are hurt because it’s unsafe for the public to congregate.
At a Juneau Assembly meeting Monday, City Manager Rorie Watt said he learned earlier in the day that the ship will no longer be coming to Juneau.
“The industry, I believe, are trying to figure out how and where to lay up ships until it becomes clear that they will be able to operate again,” Watt said.
The ship was due to arrive in Juneau in about a week.
In a statement, Holland America Line says it made the decision to send the ship to Puerto Vallarta instead of Juneau after last week’s decision to suspend global operations for one month.
The Westerdam canceled the remainder of its sailings in Asia after it was turned away from ports there due to fears of coronavirus on board.
While the Westerdam had no confirmed cases at that time, an elderly passenger later tested positive for COVID-19 after the ship arrived in Cambodia. The same passenger tested negative two days later, and the company has maintained that the initial result was a false-positive, since all other passengers and crew also tested negative.
The ship departed the Philippines on March 2 with no passengers and about 700 crew. It arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, Monday and will be cleared by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection before continuing on to Mexico.
The Westerdam might have been the only large cruise ship Juneau could expect to see for the foreseeable future. The season was scheduled to begin in late April, but things have changed in light of the global pandemic.
“I think we’re all understanding that the Alaska cruise season is not starting in April as anticipated and is likely to not happen until at least July 1, if not much later,” Watt said. “And possibly not even this summer.”
That effectively shuts down Alaska’s early cruise season, since the foreign-flagged ships are required by law to stop in Canadian ports on their way to Alaska.
Two people in Fairbanks have tested positive for COVID-19, officials at the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital foundation said on Monday evening.
According to Dr. Michael Burton, an emergency medical physician at Fairbanks Memorial, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Fairbanks. Both are men, identified as “older individuals.” Details have not been disclosed to protect their identity. Both are currently stable and being treated as outpatients, according to Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer.
The two had recently traveled Outside, separately. There is no known link between the two.
Both men had become ill and were diagnosed by doctors and tests later came back positive. Both of the men and their families have been quarantined in their homes.
“Each case makes us more concerned,” Zink said. “Every single day we can slow down the curve is important. We live in a big state; we can socially isolate well.”
It is the second and third positive diagnosis in Alaska. The first was a foreign national who arrived in the state as a pilot on a cargo flight. He developed a fever and respiratory problems shortly after he arrived on March 11. He went to Alaska Regional Hospital for treatment, was stable and in quarantine, Anchorage officials said.
The state will be working all night to identify all the people both of the Fairbanks men have been in contact with in the previous several days, Zink said.
Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum said people who are returning to Alaska from spring break should pay attention to people around them and isolate as much as possible, just in case they’ve been exposed.
A hotline has been established at the hospital for people who have questions or concerned about if they’ve been exposed to the coronavirus. That number is 907-458-2888.
Dr. Angelique Ramirez said “This is not the time to go to a bar and give your friend a hug. Our mission is the health and well-being of all Alaskans. This is a significant outbreak. It’s been a little bit of a race against time. We will need everybody’s help.”
Ramirez is quality medical director with Foundation Health Partners, which operates Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, the Denali Center and Tanana Valley Clinic.
Testing supplies are still limited, but the foundation has been trying to round up as many supplies as possible and hopes to set up a drive-through testing site as soon as this week, she said. It is important to test the most vulnerable people first, she said.
“We know the community wants this and desires this,” she said.
Having a test does not change the treatment, said said. The preferred treatment is isolation.
Shelley Ebenal, CEO of Foundation Health Partners emphasized that residents need to make sure they wash their hands, use hand sanitizer and socially isolate. She noted that the group of people at the news conference was not an ideal situation.
“We need community support,” Ebenal said. “We need you to listen to guidelines and obey them. If we don’t, our health system will be overwhelmed.”
Testing is continuing, Zink said, with more than 250 people being tested so far. Three have been positive and the state will update its statistics at noon on Tuesday.
“Get ready, get set, go, guys,” Ebenal said. “It’s here.”
Amagla Distillery in downtown Juneau. (Photo by Elizabeth Jenkins/KTOO)
Small businesses across the state are having to adapt to a rapidly changing environment, as people stay in more because of the COVID-19 virus.
In Juneau, the situation looks much different than it did a week ago, and some businesses are trying to prepare for more uncertainty to come.
At Amalga Distillery, groups of people came and went throughout the weekend. But by late afternoon on Sunday, there were only a few people sipping gin cocktails. One of the patrons joked they should buy a round for the house.
Maura Selenak co-owns the business with her husband, and they’re trying to adapt to this new reality.
“We opened the doors today, and the first three customers were here to grab cans and head out on their way,” Selenak said.
Selenak said she appreciates that. She even created an Instagram post with a recipe so customers could make the herbaceous cocktails at home.
Keeping her staff working during this challenging time is a huge priority, and she wants everyone to be safe.
Like a lot of bars and restaurants over the weekend, Amalga Distillery removed some chairs to allow patrons to spread out. As of Monday evening, three people in Alaska had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, but other test kits are still being determined.
Selenak said Amalga’s business model could change again in the weeks to come.
“So things that we’ve been preparing for are a tasting room closure, having a system of being able to come in by reservation only — just to really limit how many people are in here at one time,” Selenak said.
Across the country, doing business like this is starting to become the new norm, and measures to limit exposure to the virus in public spaces are happening in Alaska, too.
On Monday, Anchorage’s mayor issued an emergency order prohibiting dining out in restaurants and drinking at bars and breweries, which will remain in effect until around March 31.
Juneau’s city manager, Rorie Watt, said that’s not something the city is currently considering.
But one restaurant in Juneau is already taking the added precaution.
“I want everybody (to) enjoy the food and not get scared staying in my shop,” said Mae Wu, the owner of Lemon Tree Cafe. She decided to close her business for the next two weeks to see how things go with the number of people contracting the illness.
Mae Wu points to two of her favorite dishes at Lemon Tree Cafe in downtown Juneau on Dec. 3, 2019. (Photo by Scott Burton/KTOO)
Wu’s parents do the cooking at the Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant, and they’re in the age demographic the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said is at a high risk of getting very sick.
Wu said they don’t have health insurance.
“I think I’m a little bit ahead of worrying,” Wu said. “But I’m a mom. I’m a daughter. I’m a business owner. I want everybody around me surrounded by my love.”
Wu said she’s aware of the xenophobia and racism other Asian restaurants have experienced across the country related to COVID-19.
But Wu doesn’t think that’s why her sales dipped in Juneau.
Her decision to temporarily close was based on concerns for her parents. She said many small businesses, especially those who can’t afford to insure employees, might have to make similar considerations.
Wu hopes the leaders in charge make both health and hardship a priority.
“I hope (the) government have enough resources for medical treatments and also help to protect those small businesses,” Wu said.
Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are currently working on a coronavirus relief package, and there are talks of another stimulus package which could include small business grants and loans and expanded unemployment insurance.
Wu said she’s reached out to her landlord at Lemon Tree to see what options will be available for postponing the rent.
Officials at the Fairbanks Memorial Hospital foundation say two people in Fairbanks, both older men who had been out of state, have tested positive for COVID-19. Both of the men and their families have been quarantined in their homes. (Read more)
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Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Monday announced that all state-operated libraries, archives and museums will be closed to the public for the rest of the month.
Dunleavy has also directed all residential boarding school programs to start sending students home in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Dunleavy made the announcement around 5 p.m. on Monday during a news conference streamed online. Reporters were asked to call into the briefing instead of participating in-person in an effort to practice social distancing, Dunleavy’s office said.
“There is no reason to panic, but there is reason to be concerned,” he said.
Dunleavy also said he signed legislation Monday that will provide $4 million to the state health department for its response to COVID-19. The department will bring on temporary workers statewide, he said.
He said he signed another bill expanding telehealth benefits to Alaska. Health officials are encouraging anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms to utilize telehealth, he said.
Alaska announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Thursday. State officials described the man as a cargo plane pilot who had recently arrived in Anchorage.
Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska’s chief medical officer, said there were no other positive cases in the state as of Monday afternoon.
And earlier Monday, Berkowitz issued an order banning dine-in service for food and drinks at restaurants, bars and breweries to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. His order also closes gyms, bingo halls and theaters, and it bans gatherings of more than 50 people, though it does not apply to grocery stores. Berkowitz’s order took effect Monday at 5 p.m. and lasts through the end of March.
Dunleavy said he spoke with Berkowitz on Monday. He said the mayor acted out of an “abundance of caution for the municipality of Anchorage.”
Asked if Dunleavy was considering enacting similar bans statewide, Dunleavy said: “We have that discussion every day, sometimes twice a day. We’re trying to keep ahead of this spread of this virus. One of the trigger points that we would be looking at is if we had a community infection.”
Dunleavy said if someone who lived in Alaska tested positive, the state would give “serious consideration to limiting the ability for folks to go to restaurants, movie theaters, etc. statewide.”
“We’re not there yet,” he said.
Dunleavy said that could change quickly.
“That may change tonight, that may change tomorrow and that’s why people need to stay tuned, because things are going to potentially move quickly,” he said.
Officials with Anchorage’s municipal government, public health system and school district scheduled a news conference for 7 p.m. Monday. They set aside two hours to cover emergency orders, the health care system’s response, hospital surge capacity, people experiencing homelessness, school closures and mental health.
University of Alaska Anchorage professor Audrey Taylor teaches conservation biology on March 5. (Photo by Tegan Hanlon/Alaska Public Media)
Along with coronavirus concerns, students and staff at the University of Alaska Anchorage are also facing budget uncertainty.
University leaders are proposing to eliminate degree programs to reduce spending, and they say the process is expected to continue — at least for right now — even with students leaving dorms and classes moving online in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
As university faculty and students in those programs wait to see if the proposals will become reality, they say feel demoralized.
UAA professor Audrey Taylor stood next to a photo of a pair of howler monkeys in early March, as she explained to her class of about 30 college students how to estimate the population of endangered animals.
It was two days before the start of a weeklong spring break, and before the University of Alaska system announced widespread changes, including moving most in-person classes online for the rest of the semester, in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Already, students in Taylor’s class said they were stress and concerned. That’s because the class, conservation biology, is key for a major that university leaders are proposing to eliminate.
“It’s very demotivating, I guess, because you’re putting all this energy into teaching these students who are potentially going to be finishing a degree program in a department that’s no longer going to exist,” Taylor said.
UAA is in the middle of deciding which degree programs it will recommend cutting. So far, UAA deans have proposed eliminating nine degree and certificate programs. The provost wants to erase more. On both of their lists of cuts is environment and society — the degree program for Taylor’s department.
The university chancellor still needs to make her recommendations, and the university system’s governing board will ultimately decide what stays and what goes.
Taylor said she didn’t expect her program to be proposed for elimination.
“I think we were pretty shocked that the entire program was recommended for deletion,” she said.
UAA deans and the provost say there isn’t enough demand for the program, and the university can’t sustain it. They say students can learn environmental sciences as part of another bachelor’s degree program called natural sciences.
Taylor said there are roughly 75 students in her program. One of those students is Grace Wyatt, a junior at UAA.
University of Alaska Anchorage junior Grace Wyatt on March 5. (Photo by Tegan Hanlon/Alaska Public Media)
“I should be really focusing on trying to find summer internships right now, but that’s kind of been pushed off because I’m trying to save my degree program,” Wyatt said.
Wyatt said she cried after she learned her degree program was up for elimination. She said she’s devastated, angry and confused.
“Our professors created this program to prepare students to become scientists in Alaska,” she said. “They went around talking to all of the industries around Alaska, and asked them what they wanted students to be learning, and that’s how they created our curriculum. It’s super-involved with climate change. It’s super involved with the species of Alaska.”
University of Alaska Anchorage senior Nabi Qureshi on Thursday, March 5, 2020. (Photo by Tegan Hanlon/Alaska Public Media)
Another student, senior Nabi Qureshi, said she was spending a significant amount of time trying to figure out next steps and how students can rally to save environmental studies at Alaska’s largest university.
“I feel like I have spent a lot of time doing just research. There’s 15 tabs open on my laptop right now, just because, like I said, there’s so many different directions where this could go. There’s so many different steps,” she said. “So it’s taken up a lot of my time.”
Once final decisions are made, UAA programs won’t disappear immediately. The university needs to give faculty notice of job cuts, and it needs to provide students already enrolled in programs with a path to a degree.
UAA junior Grayson Bacon said he’s waiting to hear what that path might look like. A graduate of Palmer High School, he wants to become a wilderness ranger.
He said it’s not really financially feasible to transfer to another university at this point.
“I’m hoping to ride it out because I only have a year left, but I’m not really sure how it’s all going to go. There’s not a lot of communication as to what is going to happen,” he said.
University of Alaska Anchorage junior Grayson Bacon on March 5. (Photo by Tegan Hanlon/Alaska Public Media)
Taylor said she’s telling students to talk to their advisers and sign up for classes early to make sure they can finish the major.
Aside from giving lectures and grading papers, she said she also feels like she’s now entrenched in a fight to save her program and possibly her job.
“It feels like some kind of guerrilla warfare here, where we’re going all guns blazing to try to figure out what the best angle to save environmental studies is,” she said.
Now Taylor is also in the midst of figuring out how to continue to teach her classes, and move them online. She said she worries that the program reviews — and the long-term process to reshape UAA — are going to get lost in the shuffle as the university responds to coronavirus.
“It just feels chaotic,” she said.
UAA is currentlytaking community input on the proposed program cuts. The UA Board of Regents is expected to make final decisions in June. The next fiscal year starts July 1.
A UA spokesperson said to expect in-person meetings to be moved to virtual meetings.
Other programs up for elimination include the master’s in anthropology and bachelor’s in theater.
