DHSS Commissioner presents to Wasilla Council

WASILLA — The Wasilla City Council heard a report at their Monday meeting from Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum alongside Director of the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Paul Nelson and State Emergency Operations Center Commander Brian Fisher.

“We passed an important threshold last week. We have more people that have vaccinations for covid than we do total cases and even though it was last week, we even rapidly passed it even more and the fact that we are now up to 81,000 people that have had vaccinations in arms so we have been making tremendous progress in that regard,” said Crum. “Alaskans have done a fantastic job of mitigating the response and I’m very much proud of where we’re at in standing overall as we look forward to getting back to the regular schedule of our lives as summer approaches.”

During the briefing Wasilla Councilman Jordan Rausa asked Crum about the specific economic impacts and what trends could be tracked concerning joblessness and homelessness.

“The things that we do check are the Division of Behavioral Health is a part of social services and so we track items such as overdoses, other treatments, suicides items like this isn’t normally part of it. While you typically see those numbers, they’re always very sad we have not seen an increase in the state of Alaska on those particular items like has been seen in some of the increase down in the Lower 48,” said Crum.

To date, there have been 5,116 out of the 51,951 cases of COVID-19 across Alaska. Nelson added thanks to the local partners that have helped the DHSEM distribute resources and vaccinations through their Federal partners. Nelson said that his main role was to brief Governor Dunleavy weekly and ensure that distribution of Federal dollars were auditable in the future. Governor Dunleavy’s extended disaster declaration extends until February 14.

“Currently we are #1 in the country per capita for getting folks vaccinated the point of that is the fact that the coordination not only at the state level with our Federal partners but at the local level within your town, your city, across the state has been exceptional relatively speaking to some of the challenges faced by other states,” said Nelson.

Fisher noted that contractors had been hired to work with Alaskans planning large gatherings and events and that he was responsible for approving plans and helping provide mitigation strategies. Those hoping to plan large gatherings safely can visit plansaferevents.com.

“Just today the Governor had introduced a bill into the Legislature looking at extending that public health disaster emergency so that is SB 56 and was read into the Senate this morning and referred to a couple of committees so that is out there with the Governor requesting the tools to be able to continue to manage the response to the pandemic as we continue to move forward,” said Fisher.

Nelson noted that additional vaccines may receive approval from the FDA and Crum added that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, if approved, would require only one shot. Rausa asked Crum about how President Biden’s new administration in Washington, D.C., would affect possible restrictions on large gatherings or possible restrictions on citizens who have chosen not to receive vaccinations.

“There are no anticipated state restrictions or mandates coming down the pike,” said Crum. “We will continue to hold the state perspective that vaccines are absolutely elective and a choice it’s a means of protection. If it’s right for you then take it, if it’s not right for you then go about your way and that is the stance that Governor Dunleavy has consistently held and will hold.”

Councilman Tim Johnson asked Crum about the hospital capacity and possibility of hospitals closing due to inactivity such as has happened in the Lower 48. Johnson noted the relatively low capacity of hospitals currently, which Crum attributed to many Alaskans who had procedures done in the months of November and December and noted that January typically had a lull in hospital procedures.

“We did create, just to make sure at the end of the year last year using covid relief funds we set up a large pot of money for a hospital relief system in Alaska that if any hospital towards the end of this last calendar year were in very dire straits, we could reach out and grant money towards them to maintain stability,” said Crum. “At this point in time none of them are at risk of closing and a lot of them are operating at their typical capacities.”