Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued a series of health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday. When the state’s emergency declaration ends at midnight on Sunday, so will the health mandates the governor started issuing in March.
A new, 30-day disaster declaration goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 16. And with it comes eight new COVID-19 outbreak health orders. Some of the orders are similar to the previous mandates.
The orders cover everything from testing requirements for travelers to newly allowing online raffles and lotteries.
Another new order requires that travelers within Alaska who travel off of the road system maintain social distancing until they have a negative test result for the coronavirus.
While the other orders are effective Monday morning, that one goes into effect on Saturday, Nov. 21. But local communities are allowed to impose their own travel restrictions. One of the orders continues to allow that.
Two orders are provisions of Senate Bill 241, which also expires on Sunday. One allows health care professionals licensed in other states to be licensed in Alaska during the emergency, and allows for more telehealth services. And one that allows corporations and nonprofit boards that normally are required to meet in person to meet electronically.
There is an order that requires businesses defined as providing critical infrastructure to submit protective plans. It includes more detailed rules for the fishing industry.
Another order also continues a policy allowing for quarantine and isolation shelter for first responders, health care workers and homeless people.
Andrew Kitchenman is the state government and politics reporter for Alaska Public Media and KTOO in Juneau. Reach him at akitchenman@alaskapublic.org.
