State lifts restaurant entryway hand sanitizer health mandate

By
Suzanne Downing
-
31

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.”

How government mandates have brought one Alaska business to brink of disaster

31 COMMENTS

  1. So you come in, touch the door knob or whatever, the table, the menu, and they don’t provide sanitation. Like I said, The Governor is weaker by the day.

      • Mr. Crum,

        It is troubling that any member of an Administration would utilize a threat of “Imprisonment” in regards to an action or inaction as it pertains to a non-legislated “law” that has not been presented, discussed and voted upon by both chambers of Alaskan government and ultimately endorsed by the Governor not to mention Judicial review.

        The outrageous threat of “imprisonment” without due process even after a Governor’s signature echoes on the wind as a bridge too far. Alaskan’s demand due process not threats. Either you have too much authority or the lack of judgement in the exercise of the authority you do have. Alaskans deserve and demand better.

        • You might invite Attorney General Barr to intervene in what looks like a civil-rights violation.
          .
          Demanding jury trials is an option, as is invoking jury nullification. Not sure they can put us all in jail.

    • Get over yourself.

      What part of THERE IS NO HAND HAND SANITIZER IN STOCK do you not understand? Friday, the phone rang off the hook for isopropol alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. We’re a supplier of hand sanitizer (along with a million other things). We have been out of hand sanitizer, isopropol alcohol and hydrogen peroxide since the week people like yourself went crazy and bought shopping carts full of toilet paper.

    • Overexposure to antibiotics or improper antibiotic use can lead to bacterial resistance, making a disease or infection more difficult or even impossible to treat. The same is true of hand sanitizers. Most hand sanitizers contain triclosan or triclocarban, which can harm the immune system by causing bacteria to adapt to its antimicrobial properties, which creates MORE antibiotic-resistant strains. Triclosan also has been found to cause hormonal disruptions.

      Ongoing studies on these compounds have raised questions about whether they might be hazardous to human health. If hand sanitizers are artificially scented, they contain additional toxic chemicals

      Researchers have found that health care workers who used hand sanitizers over soap and water for routine hand washing were nearly six times more at risk for outbreaks of norovirus, which causes most cases of acute gastroenteritis.

      Bottom line, we don’t need big government to dictate how to live. Practice good hygiene, wash your hands, and maintain a healthy immune system.

  2. Imprisonment…..really. I guess they should have checked with a lawyer instead of the
    “Think tank” of public employees. .

  3. So yesterday they HAD to have it, but today since they can’t get it that makes it ok to not have it? Seems like we didn’t HAVE to have sanitizer then. Why does this seem like the mask deal where we were told that masks don’t help but they need them for those who work at hospitals, but now we need to have them?
    .
    Why can’t these people just level with us that they have no idea what they are doing and have no answers? Sometimes adults need to be talked to like they are adults.
    .
    I am glad that the Dunleavy administration is willing to adjust on the fly and deal with the reality on the ground. It’s refreshing to have a responsive government for a change.

    • Ed,

      You can disagree all you want, it’s your right. Having a government that responds to the needs of the people is just about the furthest thing you can get from a tyranny. Speaking of rights, I’m still waiting for you to fill me in on how you have been deprived of your 4th and 5th Amendment Rights.

  5. The SoA (Dunleavy and his administration) is quick, agile, and most importantly listens, reversing stuff when they screw up. Cheers –

  6. It has been demonstrated, by several practicing physicians and virologists, that the data now supports the conclusion that the corona virus is not any more virulent than a normal flu strain and the closure and any mandates are ridiculous responses to the virus. All the data used in the beginning of the fear mongering has proven to be untrue, illogical, or improperly applied to the models.The fact that the media is not putting forth these logical discussions is a failing in their purpose. The reason this won’t be disclosed by politicians and academics is because the judgment call to close down society was such a huge mistake based on some incredibly flawed data and to reopen it would prove to be received very negatively. These selective mandates are illogical as hell.

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