Local COVID-19 mitigation measures extended; public invited to today’s special COVID-19 Community Update

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Assembly of the City and Borough of Juneau adopted the reestablishment of the COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies that were set to expire on July 31. The emergency ordinance has been extended to October 31, 2021. Read CBJ’s COVID-19 Risk Metrics and Mitigation Strategies here.

Under this rubric, the Juneau disease situation can be classified as Fully Open, Minimal, Moderate, High, or Very High, and each classification connects to required mitigation measures. Currently, Juneau’s overall community risk is at Moderate.

“The EOC’s goal has always been to keep COVID-19 transmission at a low level in our community in order to avoid a hunker-down order,” said Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Incident Commander Mila Cosgrove. “The EOC uses the risk metrics to decide the level of response needed, and the community mitigation strategies will be directly proportionate to the public health risk within our community. When the threat is low, requirements like masks and social distancing will be relaxed. But when our risk is high, these are the tools that will help prevent further spread of the virus.”

The updated community mitigation measures are similar to the previous version, but a few changes have been made in response to the current CDC guidance. Some of these changes include:

• One combined Minimal level;
• A Fully Open level to represent when the community no longer has any restrictions in place; and
• No limits for group gatherings and gyms for the Moderate and High levels when all people present are fully vaccinated.

City Manager Rorie Watt and members of CBJ’s EOC will be available to answer questions from the public, businesses, and media at a special COVID-19 Community Update (CCU) today, July 29 at 4 p.m. Join the CCU here https://juneau.zoom.us/j/95237408982 or call 1-253-215-8782  Webinar ID: 952 3740 8982. The CCU will also be simulcast on Facebook Live. Today’s special CCU will be in replacement of the CCU regularly scheduled for next week.

Community transmission has been trending upward in Juneau, and the last 14-day case count activity in Juneau was at its highest to date. The recent surge of cases is likely due to the presence of the more-transmissible Delta variant in Juneau. CBJ strongly recommends all community members, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a mask while indoors, keep social bubbles small, wash your hands, and get tested if you are symptomatic.

For more information, email [email protected].