Borough officials provide another COVID-19 update

PALMER — Mat-Su Borough Mayor Vern Halter proudly announced on Wednesday that he had never been so happy to receive such negative results. Halter had been tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday and his test came back negative.

On Wednesday morning, Halter hosted the eighth COVID-19 press conference at the Dorothy Swanda Jones Borough Building in the Mat-Su Borough Assembly chambers to provide an update on the ongoing efforts in the Mat-Su.

“As of yet there have been no hospitalizations of patients with COVID in the Mat-Su Valley. That streak has continued on through this entire pandemic and is an indication that we’re doing a good job,” said Capstone Clinic founder Wade Erickson.

Erickson said that Capstone had tested 200 more Valley residents this week, including 37 Abbott point of care tests for emergency medical services employees, health care providers and their families. Capstone has provided 730 tests to date and located 12 people who tested positive for coronavirus with a 1.3 percent of positive rate.

“We need to learn to live with this virus,” said Erickson. “We have adequate testing supplies both in POC and state provided BTM and are able to test anyone who has symptoms at this point in time.”

Additionally, Capstone is providing testing for asymptomatic Valley residents who are preparing to undergo surgery. Borough Emergency Manager Casey Cook said that they will announce additional testing sites in Glacier View, Houston, Butte, and on Knik-Goose Bay Road next week. Cook and the Borough Emergency Operations Center has been coordinating between state and federal authorities as well as 40 local partners such as the Red Cross, the Mat-Su Health Foundation, the United Way, Santa Cops and Heroes and the Salvation Army to distribute Personal Protective Equipment, track costs, and increase testing.

Cook announced that the Borough Public Works Department is allowing use of their vehicles for public health nurses who traveled to Susitna Valley Jr./Sr. High School in Talkeetna to administer testing on April 30. After being called on by Halter, the Borough’s Chief Financial Officer Cheyenne Heindel made her report brief, but effective.

“The governor announced the allocation of the CARES act money that the state received. The Mat-Su Borough is going through terms and conditions and guidance set by the treasury. We’re not rushing to obligate anything at this point because we want to be sure we handle this money properly,” said Heindel.

District 2 Assemblywoman Stephanie Nowers also received negative results after she was tested for COVID-19, and urged Valley residents to continue wearing masks and practicing good hygiene habits and social distancing.

“Wear those masks, no matter how annoying they are. Wash your hands. Let’s keep moving forward on this and let’s not have to go backwards,” said Nowers.

Nowers discussed that a survey will be sent out to 8,000 businesses that operate in the borough, most of which are staffed by less than 20 people. Nowers said that business owners can use the Alaska Small Business Development Center’s daily 2 p.m., briefings to get more information and stressed that Valley residents need to continue to shop local, highlighting that both the Palmer and Wasilla Chambers of Commerce have offered gift cards opportunities.

“If there ever was a time to shop local this is the time,” said Nowers. “It’s neat to see this community pull together. We know we’re over 100,000, but we are a small community and a big part of our community is all our businesses.”