Dunleavy on Trump’s May 1 reopening goal: ‘We’re going to be charting our own course’

Update (7:54 p.m.)Andrew Kitchenman, KTOO and Alaska Public Media

Gov. Mike Dunleavy said that while President Donald Trump has told governors they could begin reopening their states by May 1, Alaska will relax restrictions and resume businesses on its own terms.

“We’re going to be charting our own course that works for Alaska and keeps Alaska healthy, but gets us back to opening up society as soon as we possibly can,” Dunleavy said during the state’s daily COVID-19 briefing on Thursday.

Dunleavy said he wants the state to return to as close to normal as possible, but Alaskans should know some things will be different:

  • There may continue to be restrictions at nursing homes, which house some of the Alaskans who are most vulnerable to serious illness from the coronavirus.
  • There will be long-term changes in hygiene, including more frequent hand washing, surface cleanings and wearing face masks.
  • People should continue to maintain 6 feet of distance from others.

In addition, Dunleavy said potential outbreaks in rural communities without hospitals or doctors will be important to guard against.

Alaska Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink said Alaskans should also consider keeping a log of what they do and who they interact with. She suggested using cell phone apps or notebooks to track activity.

The log could help public health workers trace contacts when people become infected with the virus, Zink said.

“Say that you may have been exposed and our team calls you and says, ‘Hi, we’re worried that you were a close contact, can you help explain what’s been happening,’” Zink said. “Or maybe you unfortunately do turn positive for COVID and our team talks to you and says, ‘Can you help us outline what the last couple days or the last couple weeks look like in your history?’”

Zink also pointed to a positive sign: The number of Alaskans testing positive has been trending down, allowing the state to project further improvement in the future.

“This really just shows that Alaskans have the ability to change the shape of this disease, and (it’s) part of the reason why we’re like, ‘OK, let’s see what things we can safely start to move and to open up,’ and continuing to watch that,” Zink said.

A screenshot of Alaska’s cumulative COVID-19 cases by day as of April 15. (Chart by the Department of Health and Social Services)

Dunleavy announced seven new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 300 cases across about two dozen communities by midnight Wednesday. The newly-diagnosed Alaskans include the first confirmed case from Kodiak, plus four from Anchorage and two from Juneau, one who works at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center.

About 36% of Alaskans diagnosed with the disease have recovered. The state reported no new deaths by the end of the day Wednesday, and one more hospitalization.

More than 8,700 tests have been administered, and Zink said the state continues to build its testing capacity.

On Wednesday, Dunleavy’s administration announced it was relaxing restrictions on elective medical procedures, allowing health care facilities to provide services that require minimal protective equipment starting Monday. Dunleavy did not provide further details on Thursday about what else he plans to reopen and when.

“We are beginning to open up sectors of the economy,” Dunleavy said. “We want to do this as quick as possible, but it’s very important that I reiterate, not at the expense of the health of Alaskans.”

Original storyRashah McChesney, KTOO

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks at a news conference on COVID-19 in Anchorage, March 26. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink spoke remotely and appeared on a TV screen to the governor’s right. (Creative Commons photo courtesy Alaska Governor’s Office)

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s latest COVID-19 news conference is scheduled for 5 p.m.

The governor, Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink have been holding these briefings almost daily since March 10.

They’ve shared updates on the number of people in the state with confirmed cases, announced public health mandates and explained the administration’s strategy and rationale.

At Thursday’s briefing, Zink will share a presentation about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.

An additional hospitalization was reported Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 35 — though that figure is cumulative and doesn’t represent the number of people currently hospitalized in the state. There are also seven new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the statewide total to 300.

The Dunleavy administration has imposed public health mandates that have reshaped daily life across Alaska to combat the spread of the virus. Those mandates and other Alaska-specific COVID-19 resources and information are available at coronavirus.alaska.gov.

You can watch Thursday’s news conference live on this post, the governor’s Facebook or Livestream pages, or on 360 North television.

The headline for this story has been updated.


Andrew Kitchenman

State Government Reporter, Alaska Public Media & KTOO

State government plays an outsized role in the life of Alaskans. As the state continues to go through the painful process of deciding what its priorities are, I bring Alaskans to the scene of a government in transition.

Sign up for The Signal

Top Alaska stories delivered to your inbox every week

Site notifications
Update notification options
Subscribe to notifications