Municipality of Anchorage issues public health advisory

The Anchorage Health Department issued a public health advisory Wednesday due to the rapidly increasing rate of COVID-19 cases in the municipality of Anchorage.

“We all must take immediate action to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Anchorage Health Director Heather Harris said in a press release issued by the municipality. “After eight months, we recognized some people may have let down their guard or don’t believe that COVID=19 is still a serious threat. But we are on a dangerous path, and the solution is simple: Wear a mask and keep your distance from people outside of your household.”

The municipality has a case rate of 44.45, as of Wednesday. The state defines high alert as 10 or more new cases per day per 100,000 people.

“The current rate of transmission risks exceeding Anchorage’s public health and hospital capacity,” municipality officials said in the release. “Anchorage has already lost 43 Anchorage residents to COVID-19. Many more face serious health effects that require long recovery and unknown long-term impacts on their heart and lungs.

AHD is urging residents and visitors to wear masks and stay at least 6 feet away from others in public; residents to stay home except to get food, go to work, or recreate outdoors; work from home and use delivery options if possible; avoid gatherings, especially indoors; reconsider travel plans for the upcoming holiday season; and to protect the vulnerable by avoiding contact with those at higher risk of severe illness, such as older adults or those with certain medical conditions.

Municipality officials also addressed Halloween.

“Gatherings are not safe,” municipality officials said. “If you participate in Halloween activities, do it outside with your household or a small group while wearing a mask.”