Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s squandered opportunity to spare Alaskans from the worst effects of COVID-19 is heartbreaking. He chose to open bars and bingo parlors for indoor service, jeopardizing the possibility of opening our schools.
In his July 7 press conference, as cases continued to rise, he stated, “We are managing the virus.” He again failed to impose a mask mandate, and seems to believe that increased testing and contact tracing will work.
In the same press conference, Dunleavy emphasized how much better off we are than most states, minimizing the big bump in cases. “We don’t know where this is going,” he said on June 30. I beg to differ. I’m sure Alaska’s very competent infectious disease team knows where this is going, and so does everybody in Florida, Texas and many other states with out-of-control case numbers.
The governor believes “the vast majority of people if they get infected don’t know it or show mild symptoms.” I guess Dunleavy thinks it is fine to throw the 20% who get really sick under the bus, and our health care workers with them.
Vicki Turner Malone
Wasilla
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