How and when to use the Juneau Airport testing site, and what to do after testing

Nov. 23, 2020 – This post has been updated. Please see current information here.

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At the Juneau International Airport, the City and Borough of Juneau administers COVID-19 testing, as required under the State of Alaska’s Health Mandate 10 on International and Interstate Travel, for:

• Travelers arriving from out-of-state without an accepted COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure (testing is free for Alaska residents; testing costs $250 for nonresidents)
• Voucher retesting 7-14 days after arrival (this is free for residents and nonresidents)

The airport also offers free COVID-19 testing to residents for these additional purposes:

• Alaska residents arriving to Juneau from within the state
• Alaska residents in Juneau traveling to an Alaskan community that recommends or requires testing prior to entry
• Alaska residents in Juneau traveling on intrastate Alaska Marine Highway System mainline routes

The Juneau Airport test site offers a non-invasive, nasal swab PCR test. Travelers getting a follow-up test 7-14 days after arrival can return to the Juneau Airport 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. daily for the follow-up test; no appointment is required. Outbound intrastate travelers should also visit the Airport for testing during these times. Tests are currently sent to the State of Alaska Public Health Laboratory in Fairbanks and results may take up to 5 days to come back, though turnaround times can be variable.

What to do after you’ve been tested

Under the state mandate, Alaska residents and nonresidents arriving from out of state without negative test results must self-quarantine until test results are returned. All travelers with negative results from the arrival test must follow strict social distancing for 14 days after arrival into Alaska or until they leave Alaska, whichever occurs first; or until they receive negative results from a second test taken between 7-14 days after arrival. For example, if a traveler gets test results 4 days after arriving to Alaska, the traveler would have to strict social distance for 10 additional days, or until they get results from the follow-up test.

Strict social distancing means you may be in an outdoor public place, but you must remain six feet away from anyone not in your immediate household, and you must wear a face covering. You may arrange curbside shopping or have food delivery. You cannot enter restaurants, bars, gyms, community centers, sporting facilities (i.e., ice rinks, gymnasiums, sports domes), office buildings, school or daycare facilities. You cannot participate in any group activities, including sporting events and practices, weddings, funerals, or other gatherings.

Alaska residents getting tested before or after in-state travel are not required to self-quarantine or strict social distance, but should follow the standard COVID-19 precautions of self-isolating if symptoms develop.