Gov. Dunleavy must do more to help Alaska combat COVID-19

A few months ago, Alaskans’ hard work in the fight against COVID-19 gave us cause for optimism. But just as we lowered our guard, the delta variant arrived.

The delta variant is more than twice as infectious as the original virus. It causes more severe illness, it is affecting our kids and it is straining Alaska’s already fragile hospital capacity.

If you need emergency or critical medical care, you’re likely to face long waits or even be turned away. On our current trajectory, we will double our daily case counts in about three weeks. Health care workers are burnt out and begging for change.

The good news is we’ve been here before and we know what to do. We know masking and social distancing work. And we now have the added tool of safe and effective vaccines – which slow spread, reduce the length and severity of illness, and relieve pressure on our hospitals.

Choosing vaccination and practicing basic protective measures can prevent a devastating repeat of the business and school closures we experienced in 2020. But we also need leadership to bring Alaskans together in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. Early in the pandemic, the governor, cities and tribes enacted temporary requirements for masking, social distancing and gathering limits. These actions kept Alaskans healthy and hospitalizations at bay while health care capacity was ramped up, and later while Alaskans got vaccinated. The governor made the right call then, and with the more-infectious delta variant, we need him to make the right call now.

The vaccine is a bright spot for moving beyond the pandemic, but it gets brighter as vaccination rates increase. Right now, only about 55% of Alaskans age 12 and older are fully vaccinated. While the governor has encouraged Alaskans to talk with doctors about vaccination, words don’t replace actions. He should provide incentives for Alaskans to choose the safe and effective vaccination and commend those businesses that prioritize the public’s health by requiring vaccinations, encouraging others to do the same. And he needs to unequivocally communicate the dangers of using ivermectin as an off-label “treatment,” particularly when Alaskans have broad access to a fully FDA-approved vaccine at no cost.

Finally, the governor should work with the Legislature to renew the disaster declaration that he ended prematurely, ensuring hospitals have the flexibilities they need as they work tirelessly to save Alaskans’ lives.

Don’t fall victim to the governor’s misguided mindset that Alaska’s current situation is inevitable and should be accepted. None of us should be comfortable with a reality in which Alaskans can’t access medical care because many won’t take some basic precautions. The power is in your hands to get vaccinated, mask up, watch your space, and pressure Alaska’s leadership to make the courageous calls when others won’t.

Rep. Liz Snyder and Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky are co-chairs of the House Health and Social Services Committee. Rep. Snyder represents House District 27 in the Alaska House of Representatives. Her district includes the Baxter, Cheney Lake, Chugach Foothills, Muldoon, Scenic Park, and Stuckagain Heights neighborhoods of East Anchorage. Rep. Zulkosky represents House District 38 in the Alaska House of Representatives. Her district includes Southwest Alaska villages along the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers to the Bering Sea.

The House Health and Social Services Committee is holding an informational hearing on COVID-19 impacts and response throughout the state. The hearings will be held Sept. 2.

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