Governor clarifies revisions to interstate and international travel mandate

Travelers to Alaska can now forgo the 14-day quarantine if they have tested negative for COVID-19 before entering the state, Gov. Mike Dunleavy said at a press conference Friday. The state has revised Health Mandate 010, with revisions going into effect on June 6, so that there are multiple testing and quarantine options for those coming to Alaska.

The mandate applies to all people entering the state including residents who have left for travel outside Alaska.

There are several ways a visitor to the state could forgo the 14-day quarantine. Their first option is they must be able to produce a negative SARS-CoV2 PRC test result within 72 hours of leaving for Alaska.

If visitors are unable to be tested that close to their travel date, they can also bring test results showing they have tested negative for COVID-19 within five days of departing to the state. However, the traveler is also required to be tested for COVID-19 again in whichever Alaska airport they fly to and “minimize interactions” until they have received another negative test result.

If someone arrives in Alaska without proof of a negative COVID-19 test, they will have the option of being tested at the airport or participating in a 14-day quarantine.

“If for some reason you make it to Alaska without a test, we can give you a test here in Alaska. If you don’t want a test, we ask that you self quarantine,” Dunleavy said.

Alaska residents are not required to be pre-tested if they leave the state on trips that are five days or less, but when they return they must quarantine or obtain a negative COVID-19 test. The mandate says all people waiting on test results must quarantine until they get their test back.

The revised mandate states residents will, “obtain a voucher for a second test that must occur within 7-14 days after arrival, and should minimize interactions until the results from the second test show the resident is negative for COVID-19.”

Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum said children under the age of 2 are not required to be tested.

Dunleavy said that the state will embark on a campaign to educate visitors about the new requirements. Travelers are asked to fill out the state’s online

specifying which testing option they have completed.

Critical infrastructure workers already have mitigation plans in place, Crum said, and are to continue following those.

The COVID-19 screening will only happen at airports with flights from the Lower 48, including airports in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. Stops along the Southeast Milk Run may also have temporary testing locations for flights that are coming from the Lower 48.

The governor said state COVID-19 cases will be continuously monitored and revisions to the mandate are evaluated daily.

“If we have a huge spike in cases and we have to do a bunch of case investigations, Alaskans come first,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink said. “And so [testing] may not be able to be offered at the airport any longer.”

Watch the full press conference