On Saturday, the Department of Health and Social Services revised Health Attachment F of Mandate 16, which decreed that either hand sanitizer or hand-washing stations had to be in the entry of all restaurants.
The move came as restaurant owners across Alaska chaffed at the law, which had heavy penalties, including imprisonment, attached to it.
Commissioner Adam Crum said the adjustment was made after it was brought to the department’s attention that many communities still cannot get hand sanitizer in any reliable quantity. Although it is now being manufactured at Alaska distilleries, it is not available in most small communities, and is expensive when it is.
Hand sanitization or handwashing still must be available, but it already is in restaurants. Gone is the entryway hand-sanitizer requirements. These state mandates supersede any local mandates beginning Monday.
[Read the revised restaurant mandates here]
Commissioner Crum said his department is “Here to help, definitely don’t want insurmountable barriers. We will make all corrections we need to make it right.”
