STATE CAPITOL                              550 West Seventh Avenue, Suite 1700
P.O. Box 110001                                                        Anchorage, AK 99501
Juneau, AK 99811-0001                                                         907-269-7450
907-465-3500
 

Governor Michael J. Dunleavy
STATE OF ALASKA

**COVID-19 HEALTH MANDATE**
Issued: March 16, 2020

By:  Governor Mike Dunleavy
Commissioner Adam Crum, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Dr. Anne Zink, Chief Medical Officer, State of Alaska

To prevent or slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the State of Alaska is issuing its second health mandate.

The Public Health Disaster Emergency Declaration, signed by Governor Mike Dunleavy on March 11, 2020, provides for health mandates to be issued when deemed necessary by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, the Alaska Chief Medical Officer, the Alaska Division of Public Health, and the Office of the Governor.

Mandate 2.1
State-operated libraries, archives, and museums serve as public facilities in which Alaskans meet and congregate on a daily basis. In an effort to protect Alaskans and slow the spread of the virus, all libraries, archives, and museums shall be closed to the public from March 17, 2020 through March 31, 2020.

All public programs and events scheduled to be held within and around these facilities are suspended during this time. Staff in libraries, archives, and museums will continue to serve the public through telephone, web, and other modes that preserve the highest degree of social distancing possible.

Mandate 2.2

Given the unpredictability of the rate at which this virus will spread, and the containment measures that may be necessary in our unique state, effective immediately, residential school programs shall begin the process of returning students to their families and home communities. This process shall be completed by Friday, March 27, 2020.

These are measures to protect Alaskans within these facilities. We appreciate the public's understanding of this mandate in an effort to mitigate this virus.