Avoid non-essential travel, within Alaska and out of Alaska

The Juneau Assembly is discouraging non-essential airline travel outside of Juneau. On March 20, Mayor Beth Weldon sent a letter to Gov. Mike Dunleavy requesting that he restrict non-essential travel into isolated communities like Juneau. Today, the State of Alaska and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services issued a Health Alert strongly advising against non-essential travel within Alaska and out of Alaska.

The state health guidance seeks to avoid introducing new COVID-19 cases into Alaska from out of state, and slow the spread of the virus in state: “Greater than 80% of proven COVID-19 cases have come from out of state, primarily from the lower 48. It is imperative that Alaskans heed these guidelines.”

For our-of-state travel, the strong advisory includes:

• That all Alaskans cease non-essential out of state personal, business, and medical travel now. Alaskans currently out of state are encouraged to return home now if they had plans to return to Alaska within the next 30 days.
• That any tourist and non-essential business travel to Alaska be suspended now. The state strongly recommends that visitors to Alaska return to their home communities now.

For in-state travel, the strong advisory includes:

• That all Alaskans cease any non-essential in-state long distance personal, business, or medical travel, with specific heightened concern for travel to remote areas with limited medical resources.
• That non-residents cease any non-essential personal, business, or medical long-distance travel within Alaska with specific heightened concern for travel to remote areas with limited medical resources.

Read the full Health Alert. The advisory does not apply to medical, personal, or business emergencies.