Governor Mike Dunleavy announced new details regarding travel restrictions during a press conference on Friday, May 29.
Health Mandate 10 currently mandates that people entering Alaska from out-of-state via air must self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The Governor noted that his administration has been working for a couple of weeks to revise that travel restriction.
The conclusion is that there are revisions to the policy that will go into effect on Friday, June 5. The Governor explained that air travelers who test negative for COVID-19 during a window of 72-hours before coming into Alaska can enjoy their trip without being subjected to a quarantine: “What we’re asking, and the best thing to do, is to take a test before you come. Bring your paperwork. There will be a form that you can fill-out that when you get off the plane in Alaska, if you have the test and the test is negative, you can go on and enjoy Alaska. We think this is going to make things a lot easier, obviously, than the 14-day quarantine for everyone.”
While the ease of travel to Alaska increases for those who take their test and have all appropriate paperwork before boarding a flight, things get a little more complicated for those who either are untested or who lose their paperwork: “If your tests are positive, you won’t be coming to Alaska. You’re not going to want to come to Alaska, you’re going to want to seek medical help. For those folks who, if they get on the plane, for some reason they’ve lost their test paperwork or there’s an issue, we’ll provide testing when you depart the plane here in Alaska. It may take some time, that’s why we’re advising that the test take place outside of Alaska, before you come to the state. If you test negative, you’ll go on and enjoy your trip. If you test positive, we’ll work with you on how we can deal with your health issue, which may include isolation quarantine.”
The Governor told KSRM News that the administration is working with major airlines to help spread news of this mandate, and that a targeted informative advertising plan is being developed to spread the word. The goal is to ensure everyone entering Alaska is aware of these rules.
