By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
With no reported cases of COVID-19 yet in Alaska, Sitka government and health officials said today they’re staying in contact with the state, and trying to be as prepared as possible.
“I’m very comfortable with our position right now, and our preparation,” said City Administrator John Leach. “We’re taking a measured approach to it. Staying calm is essential. We want everybody to be confident that we’ve been watching this very closely and we want people to continue to be resilient.”
Fire Chief Dave Miller said, “We should take the coronavirus serious, but don’t panic.”
In today’s COVID-19 Health Alert the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services said:
“To prevent or slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019, the State of Alaska is recommending all Alaskans become familiar with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance on community mitigation. We are advising Alaskans to implement protective measures outlined in the ‘preparedness phase’ and to strongly consider implementing the ‘minimal to moderate’ activities ...”
The information can be found online at CDC.gov.
Personal, environmental and community mitigation were the topics of a statewide teleconference of local and state health officials Wednesday. Today’s advisory from Dr. Anne Zink, Alaska Chief Medical Officer, expanded on the community mitigation component.
Zink gave these examples of the social distancing strategies that now should be followed:
– staying home when sick with a respiratory illness, and remaining at least 24 hours after a fever subsides; staying six feet away from anyone coughing, sneezing or feeling feverish; avoiding large gatherings and crowded places as much as possible; and avoiding shaking hands and hugging as much as possible. In rural areas people should consider limiting non-essential travel to protect the community.
For higher risk groups, (60 years and over, and persons with underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, or other immune compromising illnesses):
– those who go out in public should maintain at least six feet distances from people, avoid crowds and large gatherings as much as possible, and avoid cruise travel and non-essential air travel.
There also are guides for employers and businesses, churches and faith groups, schools and event planners, in today’s advisory.
“Schools adjusting or postponing gatherings that mix between classes, grades, and other schools ... Adjust after-school arrangements to avoid mixing between classes, grades, and other schools.”
Employers and businesses are advised to “use video-conferencing for meetings when possible; when not possible, hold meetings in open, well-ventilated spaces; consider adjusting or postponing large meetings or gatherings; assess the risks of business travel; encourage liberal leave policies and teleworking options for staff.”
CDC has this advice for event planners:
“Consider canceling, postponing, or adjusting large in-person events, and explore offering video/audio/electronic alternatives.”
Speaking at Tuesday’s Assembly meeting under Persons to Be Heard, resident Mike Mayo urged immediate action by city officials. He gave a copy of his statement to those at the Assembly table.
“It’s only a matter of time before the coronavirus (COVID-19) hits Sitka,” he said. “Seattle, the epicenter of the virus in the U.S., is Sitka’s most designated destination or connection place. We, Sitka, need to be ready to minimize the danger to our people and our economic environment.”
He called for screening arriving airline and cruise ship passengers, publicizing SEARHC’s plan for when the first infection is detected and publishing it in Friday’s Sentinel. He said the information should include the number of masks, body suits and respirators the hospital has.
“It should say what we, the citizens of Sitka, should do. And what the town should do,” he said. He asked about testing kits and the turnaround time to get test results.
Mayo added today that Sitka could show itself to be a leader, if it helps guarantee it’s taking every step possible to prevent the spread, and keep coronovirus out of Sitka as much as possible.
“This will lead to people wanting to come to Sitka,” he said. “You’ve got to think about what’s best for the town in the long run.” He added that the Assembly and city officials need to pay attention, and take action as soon as possible.
Leach said today the city does have a plan in place, and actions are already being taken. All city schools and government buildings are open as usual, and Leach said he would make any decisions about closures, working in conjunction with the Assembly.
Essential city buildings will not be closed: “That’s realizing there are inherent government functions that will keep operating,” Leach said. That includes emergency services (firefighting and EMS), law enforcement, and service providers, such as electric, water, garbage and sewer.
City hall will work with employees who want to work from home, although that is not an option for employees whose work is essential to the health, safety and welfare of the community, he said.
“We’re moving down that line because people are getting nervous,” Leach said. “There are employees concerned and need to maintain social distancing and work from home. It’s up to their supervisor and me. We want to address their concerns about being here during the social distancing advisory.”
Leach said there are some discussions going on about limiting gatherings, or other options for gatherings. That includes having “virtual Assembly meetings.”
“We’re looking at ways to do that through social media, and having ‘teleworksessions,’” he said.
Leach said the city has been working on its COVID-19 plan for some time, and is working with the Sitka schools on their plan.
“If I decide to shut schools down, we’ll use the schools’ plan,” he said, noting that “there’s a lot of fallout for sending the kids home.”
Chief Miller, emergency coordinator for the city, said he’s following health alerts and staying in touch with other departments, such as Ketchikan and Juneau.
“We are as prepared as any community in Alaska,” Miller said, referring to the teleconferences he has been attending. “We are in the same phase and preparedness as anyone in Alaska.”
He reiterated the essential steps that everyone should follow:
“If you’re sick, stay home, wash your hands frequently, don’t infect anybody else.”
Some levels of preparedness are not possible, he said, noting the city does not have enough N95 face masks to make them available for all citizens, and there are not enough on the market that could supply Sitka, Miller said.
“The supply chain has run out, there aren’t enough masks anywhere, and the reality is you should only use them one time,” he said.
Screening at the airport, as has been suggested, is not realistic, he said, since not everyone will be truthful about past travel, and the airlines will try to deter sick people from traveling.
“There are a lot of things that sound good but aren’t feasible in a lot of ways,” he said. “You have to look at some reality. We are stuck in ‘What’s really possible.’”
A daily update from SEARHC said:
“SEARHC would like to remind patients that our facilities remain open for business. COVID-19 screening measures are in place at all locations to ensure safety. If you have a regularly scheduled appointment, we encourage you to keep it. By following CDC screening protocol, we are ensuring a safe clinical environment for patients. Please continue to practice CDC-recommended preventative actions, including washing hands thoroughly and often, covering your coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect potentially contaminated surfaces and objects, and get a flu shot to eliminate concerns.”
