At a meeting whose agenda was kept vague, the Anchorage Assembly will consider a measure from Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel, which essentially declares an emergency in Anchorage.
The move would remove the emergency authority that resides with the executive branch of the city: Mayor Dave Bronson, and give it to the Assembly, which would enact a mask mandate for all.
The mask mandate applies to everyone over the age of 2, with some exceptions for medical and mental illness conditions.
Some details just released in the draft ordinance follows.
The full Assembly meeting is in a small conference room in City Hall from 1-2 pm on Monday, Sept. 20.
- The Assembly hereby finds that a health crisis exists with the COVID-
- 16 19 pandemic based on the circumstances described in this ordinance, and that the
- 17 unforeseen rapid increase in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations have
- 18 resulted in insufficiency of services by the health care system and local hospitals
- 19 substantial enough to endanger the public health, safety or welfare.
- A substantial or high alert level occurs when either of the following two
- 22 criteria are met: there are more than 50 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000
- 23 persons in the MOA over the past 7 days; or the percentage of positive COVID-19
- 24 tests in the past 7 days exceeds 8%. So long as the Municipality of Anchorage is in
- 25 the substantial or high alert level for community transmission of COVID-19 and at
- 26 any time the Municipality of Anchorage again reaches one of these levels, the
- 27 requirements of this ordinance shall be in effect.
- 29 Section 3. All individuals must wear masks or face coverings over their noses and
- 30 mouths when they are (a) indoors in public settings or communal spaces outside
- 31 the home; or (b) outdoors at large crowded public events. Unvaccinated individuals
- 32 are additionally encouraged to wear masks at all outdoor public gatherings,
- 33 regardless of size.
A face shield is generally not permitted in lieu of a mask or face covering, as face shields are less effective in stopping the spread of COVID-19. However, face shields may be permitted in lieu of a mask or face covering for the following individuals, who must wear a face shield whenever a mask or face covering would be required unless it is impossible to do so:
Any individual who cannot tolerate a mask due to a physical or mental disability;
Individuals who are communicating with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing;
Individuals performing an activity that cannot be conducted or safely conducted while wearing a mask (for example, a driver experiencing foggy glasses, a dental patient receiving care, an equipment operator where there is a risk of dangerous entanglement).
AO regarding Covid-19 mitigation measures Page 5 of 7
Employers must make sure employees who are present in the workplace have access to and wear masks or face coverings…
The complete draft ordinance is in this file:
