Eight more Alaskans have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the last state report midday Tuesday.
A total of 293 cases have been identified in Alaska, with 106 of those cases known to be recovered, for a total of 187 active cases.
A total of nine Alaskans have died from the illness, including two who died out of state. None were reported in the last 24 hours.
There have been two more hospitalizations, bringing that total to 34. However, most of those people are not currently hospitalized; nine have died and others have been released to recover at home.
The death rate in Alaska is currently 3 per 100 cases of the Wuhan coronavirus that is believed to have started in Wuhan, China late last year.
Alaska communities that added cases in the past 24 hours were: Anchorage (3), Kenai Peninsula (1), Juneau (3), and the first case diagnosed in the Nome area (1).
Total cases that have been diagnosed in Alaska, (including recovered and deaths):
Mayor Ethan Berkowitz wanted his emergency authority extended through Nov. 15, but the Anchorage Assembly said that was too long, and amended his power only as far as June 5.
During Tuesday night’s meeting, Berkowitz, speaking through a cloth face mask, extended the “hunker-down” orders in Anchorage for another 24 days until May 5.
The hunker-down order means people in Anchorage are supposed to be confined to their houses except for critical jobs, or to handle errands like groceries, or get health care, or to get exercise out of doors, if they don’t come near others.
Anchorage is responding to the COVID-19 coronavirus in a way that many in the business community say is crushing commerce and will have long-lasting, generational effects.
A restaurant trade group, for example, estimates that 75 percent of family-owned restaurants in America will not reopen after the national health emergency has passed.
The National Restaurant Association estimated has said that the entire industry would lose $225 billion in the coming three months and shed five to seven million employees, according to the New York Times.
Several members of the public testified by telephone on Tuesday that it’s time for Anchorage to reopen the businesses that can operate while observing the current six-foot-rule mandate and other hygiene mandates. Assembly members acknowledged that they had heard from many members of the public over the past few days.
Changes to the mayor’s hunker-down order include:
Nonessential businesses (those deemed by the city as nonessential) may have two staff member on the premises to do essential work. But these businesses will still not be allowed to have curbside service.
Fabric stores are now allowed to do curbside pickup or delivery.
Farmers markets, landscapers and food trucks are now deemed “critical businesses.”
Health Mandate #5, which had put the State government in between doctors and their patients and prohibited many forms of diagnosis and treatment, has been lifted by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Elective procedures and surgeries may go forward, he said, but added notes of caution.
“We came to the conclusion that society and Alaska is better off if we open up this sector sooner rather than later,” Dunleavy said.
The medical sector is the first of all the economic sectors to open up, he said. If there is a large increase in coronavirus cases, he said the State could see the need to throttle it back to preserve medical equipment.
“We are assessing it on a daily basis, assessing PPE (personal protective equipment), where we are getting it, how much is being used. We are constantly trying to fine tune things and get life closer to the normal life we once had.
“With time we are going to understand what is happening with this virus,” he said.
“We’re hoping we are entering into a period where we can manage this. You’ve done a fantastic job, Alaska,” Dunleavy said. “We’re very fortunate that we have Alaskans that understand what’s happening and are informed and know what we have to do with Alaskans to deal with this. We’re hoping we’ve bent a curve.”
Princess Cruises, Holland America, Seabourn, and Carnival Cruise Line have canceled all sailings worldwide through early summer.
Princess Cruises, Holland America and Seabourn said their cancellations include the majority of their Alaska cruises in 2020, and Princess will not open any of its lodges in Alaska this year or operate sightseeing trains or buses.
Princess has also delayed the debut of its newest ship, the Enchanted Princess, until Aug. 1. The Diamond Princess is canceled through Aug. 4, and the Sun Princess won’t sail until at least Sept. 4.
The Princess/Holland America announcements followed Carnival, which canceled all sailings through June 26.
Previously, the four cruise lines had only canceled sailings on most of their ships through the middle of May.
The Centers for Disease Control has extended its “no sail” mandate for cruise ships sailing from U.S. ports, and the mandate may be in effect until August.
Princess and Holland America are the dominant cruise lines for the Alaska market, dedicating nearly half of their ships to Alaska every summer.
Disney Cruise Line has also canceled all sailings through May 17 and all Alaska sailings through the end of June.
The Blood Bank of Alaska has a request of those who have recovered fully from the COVID-19 coronavirus: Donate plasma.
At the request of the Food and Drug Administration, the blood bank seeks donations because they may contain antibodies that can help treat critically ill patients infected with the coronavirus.
While clinical trials are still being performed for widespread use of the treatment, the FDA has authorized patients with, or at risk of, severe or life-threatening COVID-19 disease to receive “convalescent plasma” treatment.
Volunteer donors must have previously tested positive for COVID-19 but must also be free of symptoms. In Alaska, that would apply to 85 people at this point. Some of those, such as anyone with HIV or hepatitis, would not be eligible to donate plasma. HIV and hepatitis are two viruses that would prevent potential donors from being able to assist in this health crisis.
Generally, people 18 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds and have had no tattoos or piercings within the last 12 months would meet the criteria.
Donating plasma is similar to giving blood and takes about two hours. Whole blood is removed and the plasma is separated from the red blood cells and other components; the blood is returned to your body with sterile saline solution to help your body replace the plasma.
Mercy Hospital in St. Louis is among institutions that have reported that patients have recovered who were treated with convalescent plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19.
Prospective donors may contact the blood bank at (907) 222-5630 for questions regarding eligibility or visit https://www.bloodbankofalaska.org/covid-19 for more information on convalescent plasma, as well as how to become a donor.
Blood Bank of Alaska is only collecting plasma at their Anchorage main center (located at 1215 Airport Heights), and in Fairbanks facility (located at 3010 Airport Way).
It may be unusual for legislators to start petitions on Change.org.
But Rep. Sara Rasmussen of District 22 said she wanted to find a way to reach the leadership of the House and Senate with a big message encouraging them to release the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend early this year. Asking constituents to write letters wasn’t impactful enough.
Rasmussen settled on a Change.org petition. Since launching her petition two days ago, she’s gotten over 2,000 signatures on it. It’s not too late, she said, to get the Legislature to change course, since it is technically in recess.
“Tens of thousands of Alaskans have been laid off or unable to work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. An idea with broad bipartisan support to pay the Permanent Fund Dividend early has been introduced by the Alaska Economic Stabilization Team and data shows an early partial dividend pay out in May/June – September/October would supplement any stimulus measures taken by the Federal Government. Alaskans need cash NOW to address some of the job losses, business struggles and failures, and overall hardship,” Rasmussen wrote.
“There is still time for the Alaska Legislature to get cash to Alaskans in a stabilizing way and they need to hear from Alaskans that this is a priority. This petition will be delivered to the legislative leadership in the Alaska State House and the Alaska State Senate. Sign today to show your support!”
SCORES OF ALASKANS SAY THEIR HEALTH IS BEING COMPROMISED
Must Read Alaska reached out to readers last week to hear from them about the urgent and non-urgent medical needs they have, ones that are not being met due to the mandated limits on non-emergency procedures and surgeries, and the confusion and refusal-of-service they have experienced.
It wasn’t the plastic surgery postponements that caught this writer’s attention. It was messages from doctors who are involved in the detection and treatment of breast cancer.
In any given month, 45-90 women in Alaska are diagnosed with breast cancer, doctors told MRAK under condition of anonymity. None wants the state Department of Health and Social Services to mess with their licenses.
Yet, in the past 30 days, only five women have been diagnosed by one clinic that routinely diagnoses 50 a month — a 90 percent drop in breast cancer detection.
It’s for myriad reasons, the doctors tell MRAK: Some primary care doctors have gone strictly to telemedicine, or patients are afraid to go to the doctor, or they are not sure that breast exams are urgent.
Maybe it’s something that can wait a few months, women think. It’s not a pleasant procedure, so it’s an easy one to brush off.
Or it’s because they are over 50, and there are no mammograms allowed for those over 50 during Health Mandate #5.
That means there are 85 women in Alaska walking around right now with undetected breast cancer — cancer that should have been diagnosed in the past month, but wasn’t.
Here are just a few of the situations readers described to MRAK about their personal medical conditions:
“The virus has all the surgery places messed up, for sure. Took an extra week to get a necessary port put in.”
“I know someone that also had to wait at least a week, and it delayed the start of treatment for a severe leukemia. They should have gone out of state for treatment, but because of all of this they had to stay and hope for the best here.”
“My husband needs medical attention like some diagnostic help with joints, and my sister-in-law is unable to find a doctor to get her heart meds refilled.”
“The day I was to have cataract surgery, I was contacted by the eye center and told they were shut down by Berkowitz. They tried to get it reversed, but it fell on deaf ears. This is a eye center, and their clients do not have elective surgery. We need them. Everyone working there was very upset including the staff and docs. They were told in would likely be July before they would be able to open agin. My eyesight is weekly getting worse and worse, it’s affecting my daily life. But if I want to buy booze, vape or get home supplies, those are all open for business.
“Like needing surgery was set to have and then canceled but in extreme pain.”
“Like dental surgery getting cancelled leaving me for a month with broken molars, live exposed nerves and having to have a liquid diet just to eat?”
“I have a friend who has stage 2 prostate cancer and ANMC canceled his surgery. Does that count?”
“Had my routine colonoscopy screening canceled till June 15. How many will die because of missed routine screenings?”
“My surgery center put staff on 1/2 time because there was nothing for them to do.”
“I have MS destroying my nerves and cannot get treatment. Additionally, I have been referred for a hysterectomy and it could be cancer. Having beat cancer once, it’s rather horrifying to not be able to get the care I need.”
“So, I had surgery planned for May 6 for a softball size uterine fybroid. It’s been cancelled and no reschedule date given. This fybroid has caused me to be extremely anemic to the point of almost needing a blood transfusion. I’m constantly in pain, I bleed heavily for weeks. I’ve changed my diet and am taking meds, but this still affects my daily life. I’ve had to leave work due to being in such pain that I can’t work and am in tears. Because I’m taking meds and have changed my diet my hemoglobin levels have gone up, they are still low, but they are not low enough for my surgery to not be considered necessary not elective. So I take my meds and eat healthy and stay in pain, or I quit taking meds and let my levels drop to the point of it becoming a ‘necessity.'”
“Have the people you listed asked for a letter of necessity from their Drs? Tell them to be ‘pushy,’ and to not take no as an answer. My surgery center was empty. I’ll removal the staples myself-not worth the risk to go in. I got a medical staple remover from a dog mushing store.”
“I’m a doctor and I’ve just furloughed myself.”
The State’s Chief Medical Officer Anne Zink has established a survey to see how Alaska families are doing. If you have a medical issue that you cannot have resolved due to state health mandates, or if you are having trouble getting primary care because of the current COVID-19 hunker-down orders from your community, you can share your thoughts with Dr. Zink.
Alaskans who would like to respond to the survey can text “AKFAMILY” to 907-269-0344 or access the surveys at the MCH Epidemiology Unit website at http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/wcfh/Pages/mchepi/.
Not comfortable giving your opinion to the State of Alaska? Send a confidential note to [email protected] or add your comments below.
Mayor Ethan Berkowitz’ emergency order expires on April 14 unless the Anchorage Assembly extends them.
Berkowitz has asked the Assembly to do so, allowing him extensive control over budgets and other major decisions until Nov. 15. It would allow Berkowitz to keep all businesses closed, and extend the “hunker down” order for seven months.
Not all Assembly members are comfortable with giving Berkowitz a blank check until after the General Election. But most who were up for reelection retained their seats. It’s uncertain how they’ll view such sweeping powers, but their decision comes after the municipal election is over, rather than while the public was still voting.
The Wuhan coronavirus has created a de facto lockdown Anchorage and many parts of the country, resulting in the arrest of citizens simply going about their family lives without the risk of putting others in harm’s way.
Meanwhile, the technology, medical knowledge and government recommendations have changed on nearly a daily basis since the coronavirus came to America.
Three weeks ago, Alaskans were told by officials that face coverings were not effective and needed to be preserved for medical professionals battling the coronavirus. Last week, the State of Alaska recommended face coverings be worn whenever people are out in public. Three weeks ago, the State didn’t have enough swab tests or hospital beds. Now, the testing kits are being developed in-state and the lab machines are more available. So are hospital beds.
The Assembly could, if it wants, review the emergency orders every week or every month because the Assembly meets every other week, unlike the Legislature, which has a more difficult time convening to approve emergency powers for the governor. Gov. Mike Dunleavy has had his emergency powers extended to Nov. 15 by the Alaska Legislature, which left Juneau last month. Legislators are now scattered across the state, hunkered down in their districts and subject to local and state travel quarantines.
Due to concerns over large gatherings amid the COVID-19 outbreak, community members are strongly encouraged by the Anchorage Assembly to provide testimony via email or by telephone. Because of the federal, state, and local health department guidance and emergency measures, the number of people allowed in the Assembly Chambers at the Loussac Library will be limited.
The Assembly encourages anyone wishing to provide Public Testimony to email written comments to [email protected]by 2 p.m. the day of the meeting. Comments will become part of the meeting record. In the subject line of the email, describe which agenda item you are providing testimony for (Example: “Emergency Powers of the Mayor.”)
To provide testimony on the phone, email [email protected] by 2 p.m. the day of the meeting with your name, phone number, agenda item number/title for which you wish to provide testimony. The subject line should read “Phone Testimony.” When the Assembly reaches your agenda item, the clerk will call you at the number you have provided. You will have 3 minutes to provide testimony on each item you wish to speak on.
