The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly will consider a resolution that would call for entering a joint resolution with the cities of Kenai and Soldotna. Joint Resolution 2020-01 aims to promote community awareness to take all necessary precautions to follow the preventative measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control to reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout the borough.
The meeting will be tonight, September 15, at 6:00 p.m.
Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce is the sponsor of the resolution. In a memo from his desk, he notes that preventative measures are the best defense against the spread of COVID. He believes a reminder to residents is necessary to encourage them to take the CDC’s recommended mitigation measures.
Numbers of COVID-19 have been lower in the Kenai Peninsula Borough since the weekend of August 15 and 16, where there was a test positivity rate of 3.0%. Since that weekend, the numbers have gradually fallen, now consistently sitting below 1.0% in daily reports. Although the rates of positive tests have slowed, CDC guidelines suggest that mitigation is still necessary to keep the numbers down, especially as the virus’ numbers in nearby Anchorage remains relatively high.
Most residents of the Kenai understand the CDC’s recommendations for mitigating the spread of COVID, but Joint Resolution 2020-01 spells them out:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when in public settings and in areas where social distancing is not possible, although masks should not be placed on young children under age two, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance;
- Avoid close physical contact and stay at least six feet from other people;
- Wash your hands often;
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces;
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands;
- Avoid going out in public or going to work if you feel ill.
Nothing about the resolution calls for mandatory behavior, or mandated following of the guidelines. Rather, it is meant to be a united recommendation from the cities and the borough to make it policy to remind and encourage residents of the Kenai Peninsula to work together to take the simple steps that can discourage spread of COVID-19.
Assembly meeting are currently conducted through the Zoom online platform due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and CDC guidelines. The meetings will not be physically open to the public. To attend the Zoom meeting from a computer or mobile device:
- Visit https://zoom.us/j/128871931
- Use the “Raise Hand” feature to request to speak during public comments.
- Click in the toolbar to unmute your microphone and video when recognized.
To attend the Zoom meeting by telephone:
- Call toll free 1-888-788-0099 or 1-877-853-5247 and enter the Meeting ID: 128 871 931.
- Use *9 to “Raise Hand” to request to speak during public comments and *6 to unmute your phone when recognized.