TRIBAL COUNCILS SET QUARANTINE
The Village of Grayling, population about 200, has issued a travel ban for everyone in the village, prohibiting all inter-village travel. For those leaving the village, they will not be able to return for at least 30 days and they will need to provide a proof of screening for COVID-19.
Other villages in rural Alaska are issuing similar lockdowns, although Grayling’s tribal council may be the most stringent. Grayling is represented by Senator Lyman Hoffman and Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky.
Must Read Alaska has learned that Kalskag has also closed its doors as has Scammon Bay. Some 700 people are affected between those two communities. On Monday, Holy Cross is planning to quarantine its 150 residents, according to MRAK sources.
Such tribal rules are not always applied equally in communities among the various Native and non-Native residents. It’s unclear how mail and health care will be delivered to these communities and how their fragile water systems that require constant monitoring will be maintained if there is a breakdown and workers cannot be flown in.
This is a great thing the village is doing. Hopefully the residents know it’s for their protection. We live in a village where mail comes in 3 times a week very seldom has passengers but we’re connected to the Island by a road. People are allowed to come and go right now. It may come a time to totally isolate. I know I’m not ready but will do so if we had to!!
We get our mail once a week here. I’m jealous.
Fort Yukon, Chalkyitsik, Arctic Village are also on lockdown
I have read this virus can live on a hard surface for 3 days. If that is true then it can be transmitted without human contact. Furthermore every airplane has a human pilot… many pilots flying from regional hubs work on a rotation schedule, meaning they travel home on their weeks off.
Point is, the Village is wholly dependent upon imported care and supply.
Maybe we find out shipping tons of sugar water to the remotest locations in the country isn’t viable. That could be an important lesson if we live to learn it.
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