(Photo by Rashah McChesney/KTOO)
Update | 5:50 p.m.
City officials lifted restrictions on indoor service in Juneau bars Tuesday, but said they are still concerned about community spread of COVID-19.
The city abruptly reduced restaurants to half capacity and closed bars to indoor service on Sept. 12 after seeing a sharp increase in positive cases of COVID-19.
Since then, the number of new cases has come down again, so the city lowered its risk level back to moderate.
During a weekly community update Tuesday, Deputy City Manager Mila Cosgrove said Juneau residents that visit bars and restaurants should be cautious.
“Risk does remain elevated in all situations where you as an individual are operating outside of your normal bubble of people,” Cosgrove said.
A significant portion of Juneau’s recent cases were connected to a large gathering at the end of August attended by a number of people who work in bars and restaurants around town.
According to the city, that outbreak has grown to about 45 people.
Last week, the Juneau Assembly extended a requirement that people must wear face masks in indoor, public spaces for three more months.
Original post:
The City and Borough of Juneau’s weekly community update is at 4 p.m. today.
Members of the city’s emergency operations center will provide information about the local COVID-19 response and answer questions.
City officials lowered Juneau’s COVID-19 risk assessment level to moderate Tuesday. The number of new positive cases has decreased from earlier in the month when the rate of community spread led to increased restrictions on bars and restaurants. Those restrictions are now lifted, but the city is still encouraging residents to continue wearing masks and maintaining social distance in indoor settings.
Community members can submit questions to COVIDquestions@juneau.org.
Watch on Zoom, Facebook Live or here once the meeting is live. You can also call the city to listen by phone by calling 1-346-248-7799 or 1-669-900-6833 or 1-253-215-8782, webinar ID 985 6308 5159.
