Following a record-setting Sunday of new COVID-19 cases, Governor Mike Dunleavy was joined by Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink along with Alaska’s Chief of Epidemiology, Dr. Joe McLaughlin. They addressed the uptick in COVID-19 cases late Monday, saying that no new mandates are necessary but that they are counting on Alaskans to exhibit the right behaviors to reduce the spread.
Governor Dunleavy said that the state will do what it can to curb the spread, but that those efforts alone won’t be enough: “I just want you to know that we’re on top of this. What I mean by that is that we’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure that our hospital capacity remains intact, that we do everything we can to safeguard those that are most vulnerable – our seniors, those in our institutions, our elderly, those that have health issues – but that we’re gonna need your health as individuals. You know, there’s a lot of calls for mandates and enforcement and law coming down on folks, and you’re seeing that play out across this country. Some believe that works. Some believe that it doesn’t, that the moment you let up, this virus spreads. Again, it’s the nature of this virus.”
Dr. McLaughlin noted that there has been a significant spike among Alaskans in their 20s and 30s, saying that there is no visible clinical reason for that demographic to start getting sick. He attributed it to the fact that they are more likely to get out and be social: “We really want to make sure that we’re messaging to these younger adult groups in a way that they really get, they really understand, that really compels them to do their part, and that’s what we’re asking – is for all people just to do their part.”
Dunleavy joined McLaughlin in emphasizing that all it takes is residents to do their part. He compared wearing masks to covering one’s mouth while sneezing, saying it is a common-sense behavior that should not be politicized, and even though he does not like wearing a mask, he understands its importance: “If we all just make a couple of small adjustments, we can keep our numbers within a range that will keep our hospitalizations and our death rates down. That’s exactly what we want.”
The Governor added that despite the recent rise in numbers, Alaska is currently fifth in the country with regards to testing per-capita and is the state with the lowest COVID-19 death count.