Anchorage acting mayor issues emergency hunker down order

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Anchorage’s Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson has issued a modified form of the hunker down order that will go into effect on Tuesday and will remain in place until Jan. 1, 2021.

“Anchorage is on the brink of overwhelming our public health capacity, endangering the lives and wellbeing of the people of Anchorage,” the modified hunker down order states. ‘For several weeks in a row we have been reaching dangerous new highs in the numbers of new cases and numbers of people hospitalized for COVID-19.”

The emergency order requires people in the municipality to limit contact with people outside of their household, quarantine if possibly contagious with COVID-19 and limit indoor gatherings to six people and outdoor gatherings to 10 people.

The order closes bars and restaurants for in-person service but allows delivery, take-out service and outdoor service. Outdoor table service must follow several rules including placing tables at least ten feet away from other tables and outdoor tents must meet ventilation standards.

Indoor gyms are still allowed to operate but are limited to 25% capacity. Indoor fitness classes are able to continue but participants at a class must be 10 feet from each other. The order closes indoor organized sports competitions and closes entertainment facilities like bowling alleys, bingo halls, theaters and private clubs.

While sports teams are not allowed to compete indoors, the order allows teams to practice indoors as long as players follow social distancing requirements.

Salons are still able to open but are also limited to 25% capacity and are prohibited from offering services that require someone to remove a mask. Retailers are limited to 25% building occupancy and any employer who can have employees work remotely is asked to implement a work from home policy.

Businesses are required to keep a legible log of names for any visitor that comes to the establishment for an in-person service or appointment that lasts over 15 minutes. The log will be used for contact tracing purposes and must be kept for 30 days after the visit.

Businesses are also required to notify employees and public health officials if employees have been exposed to COVID-19 at work.

For enforcement, the order says the municipality could levy fines and close businesses or nonprofit organizations that violate the order.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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