With the number of COVID-19 patients in Alaska hospitals hitting a new peak this week, the Alaska House Majority is calling on Gov. Mike Dunleavy to declare a 30-day disaster.
House Speaker Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak, said in a written statement that a disaster declaration would cost the state nothing and would give health care workers tools they need to deal with the surge.
The Alaska State Hospital and Nursing Home Association says a declaration would accelerate the hiring of hospital staff, make it easier to transfer patients and expand the use of telehealth.
RELATED: Hospitals say a disaster declaration would help Alaska cope with record hospitalizations
But in a letter Friday to Senate President Peter Micciche, Dunleavy said he had no intention of issuing a disaster declaration.
“Issuing a Disaster Declaration should be use sparingly, in the direst circumstances, and in the absence of a viable alternative,” said Dunleavy.
Instead, Dunleavy is asking the Legislature to pass a bill he submitted Thursday that would expand telehealth and suspend background checks for health care workers until next summer.
RELATED: Sharing harrowing details, hospital officials implore Alaska lawmakers to help quickly
Among those who’ve also called on Dunleavy to declare a disaster are two men who hope to replace him in next year’s election: former Gov. Bill Walker, an independent, and former Democratic legislator Les Gara.
Walker wouldn’t speculate about why Dunleavy won’t make the declaration. Gara said it was politics.
“He’s not doing it because he’s playing to his political base and that’s more important to him than to do the right thing to help deal with this disaster,” Gara said.
Everything in Dunleavy’s bill, Gara said, could been accomplished in an instant with an executive declaration that should have come a month ago.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent at Alaska Public Media. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Liz here.
