By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka’s pandemic response officials are reminding the public to keep up their health precautions during spring break and while traveling.
“Of course the CDC recommends we don’t travel: delaying travel plans and staying home from spring break will protect travelers,” said Public Health Nurse Denise Ewing. “But if you must travel, traveling prepared is the key.”
That includes wearing a face covering, social distancing and hand sanitizing, even if you’ve been vaccinated.
“Planning is the key to a safer holiday,” she said.
Ewing noted that the Health Mandates in Alaska have been replaced by Health Advisories, but they look similar to the mandates that expired. The state is asking those entering Alaska from another state or country to fill out travel declarations through the online portal, and arrive with proof of qualifying negative COVID test, or test when arriving and follow social distancing until results are received, among other recommendations.
The health advisories are at:
https://covid19.alaska.gov/health-advisories/
They apply to residents traveling outside or within the state; and to nonresidents arriving here. One of the advisories is a standard list of precautions aimed at protecting Alaskans against the virus, including wearing a mask, sanitizing surfaces, practicing hygiene and physical distancing.
Others relate to travel, including testing, and recommendations for precautions for those who have been vaccinated.
In general, Ewing recommended those who travel should follow her mother’s philosophy that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
The state posters advise all returning to the state to “Bring back memories, not COVID.”
The School District, with a vaccination rate of 85 percent among staff, revisited its SmartStart program over the last two weeks in view of a decline in cases and high vaccination rates. The revisions were reviewed by the administrative team, SmartStart committees, School Board, Unified Command and Ewing.
“It went through a stringent process,” said Superintendent John Holst. “Everyone was supportive of it.”
One of the major changes for students and staff was, “We recommend they test (when returning) but they don’t have to quarantine if they’ve been vaccinated.”
The changes are in line with state and CDC recommendations.
Holst expects fewer will be out for quarantine reasons after spring break as a result, although he said he does not believe many are traveling for the one-week break, compared to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
“Principals keep track of who’s going, who’s not,” he added.
Ewing is turning her attention to some upcoming clinics to protect the community as well as workers in the seafood processing community. The state of Alaska has announced the preseason meeting for 5 p.m. Friday, generally considered the start of the season as preparations are made for aerial surveys, test fishing and openings.
Ewing is the vaccine coordinator for Sitka, who works with SEARHC and Harry Race Pharmacy to get as much state vaccine for the two organizations “as they can handle.” SEARHC has other sources to receive vaccine as well.
“Starting tomorrow is the big push for the big seafood processors,” she said today.
She’ll set up clinics first for Silver Bay Seafoods workers on Wednesday, Seafood Producers Cooperative Thursday and Sitka Salmon Shares on Friday. She’ll go next to Port Protection and Point Baker to administer first doses, then to Hidden Falls and Baranof Warm Springs to vaccinate residents. She’ll return for the Sitka Sound Seafoods clinic set for March 22.
She expects each of the processors to have some 100 or fewer workers.
Seafood workers are considered “essential workers” by the state, and the vaccine will be available to anyone 16 and up in the seafood processing business. She said she has been working with representatives from each of the processors in order to run a well-organized clinic.
“It is well thought out and well planned,” Ewing said. “We’ve been working together for a couple months to get to this point.” Some of the planning has been contingent upon a fishery actually taking place, and a need for workers, “which there apparently is,” she said.
Those receiving the vaccine, if they are coming from out of state, need to be in the state for at least 60 days. This is intended to discourage “vaccine jumpers” or someone coming to the state just to be vaccinated.
But Ewing said she expects not all will stay in Sitka, if other fisheries are taking place elsewhere in the state after herring, and workers are needed there.
Ewing said the processors are getting information to workers and said the processors who have focused on education for the workforce seem to be getting a higher response rate among those interested.
“Education is a huge thing,” Ewing said. “You can tell the processors who have tried to educate workers and those who haven’t.”
Ewing had several other reminders for travelers, and said the habits residents have built during COVID should serve them well outside of Sitka, along with precautions against other illnesses or mishaps.
