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Documenting Alaska's path to recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

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Alaska coronavirus coverage
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Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This article contains a general timeline of noteworthy state government responses to the coronavirus pandemic since April 2020. It also includes details on three specific types of state responses to the pandemic:

Additionally, the article includes:


Response news updates

The following section provides a timeline of Alaska's reopening activity beginning in April 2020. The entries, which come from our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter, are sorted by month in reverse chronological order. The date shown is the day that we wrote about them in the newsletter. They appear exactly as they appeared in the newsletter.

June 2021

  • June 14: The state ended its participation in pandemic-related federal unemployment benefit programs June 12. Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) made the announcement May 14.

May 2021

  • May 3:
    • Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) lifted the state’s coronavirus emergency order on April 30. Dunleavy’s emergency powers originally expired Feb. 14, causing his emergency declaration to end. But the emergency order’s expiration prevented the state from accessing an additional $8 million of federal food assistance benefits for April.
    • In response, the legislature passed House Bill 76, and Dunleavy signed the legislation on April 30. The bill retroactively extended the disaster emergency from Feb. 14 through the end of 2021. The retroactive extension allowed the state to access the federal food assistance benefits.
    • The bill also allowed Department of Health and Social Services Director Adam Crump to issue a limited disaster emergency order April 30 to secure future federal assistance. After Gov. Dunleavy signed the legislation and Crump signed the limited order, the governor re-ended the state’s emergency order, effective April 30.
    • HB 76 passed the state Senate April 28. The state House approved the legislation April 29. The new law also enacts legal immunity for businesses against claims related to COVID-19.

April 2021

  • April 28: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) issuedAdministrative Order 321, prohibiting the state from requiring proof of vaccination for people to travel to or within Alaska.

March 2021

  • March 10: On March 9, Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) removed all eligibility requirements to receive vaccines. Alaska is the first state to allow anyone age 16 or older who lives or works in the state to make appointments.
  • March 4: On March 3, Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced people in Phase 1c of the distribution plan became eligible for vaccinations. The phase includes everyone age 55 and older. Anyone 16 or older can get vaccinated if they work in an essential industry, have state-defined high-risk health conditions, live in a state-defined multigenerational household, or reside in communities with limited plumbing.

February 2021

  • February 16: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) allowed the state’s coronavirus emergency order to expire on Feb 14. Four health advisories replaced the order, including recommendations for mitigating virus spread among individuals (like wearing a face-covering and social distancing). Alaska’s interstate pre-travel testing requirements also expired with the emergency order, but individuals who have COVID-19 are still prohibited from entering the state. Pre-travel testing is still encouraged. Click the interstate and intrastate travel links to read more about Alaska’s travel advisories.

January 2021

  • January 15: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) extended the state’s coronavirus emergency order until Feb. 14.

December 2020

  • December 16: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) extended the state’s coronavirus emergency order through Jan. 15, 2021.
  • December 11: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced he will extend the state’s coronavirus emergency order no later than Dec. 14. The new order will be effective Dec. 16, 2020, until Jan. 15, 2021.

November 2020

  • November 17: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) issued eight new health orders, effective Nov. 16. Included in the orders is updated guidance for interstate, intrastate, and international travel.
  • November 10: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) issued a new coronavirus emergency order, effective through Dec. 15.

August 2020

  • August 28: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) signed legislation expanding the state’s AK CARES grant program to include businesses that received Paycheck Protection Program or Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds from the federal government. The AK Cares program was introduced on June 1 to provide relief for small businesses that did not receive federal aid.
  • August 17: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced the state accepted President Donald Trump’s (R) partial extension of unemployment benefits. Alaska will pay $300 per week in unemployment benefits while the federal government provides an additional $300 per week.

May 2020

  • May 21: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced on May 19 that Alaska will move to Phase Three of its reopening plan on May 22 at 8 a.m. Phase Three will lift all coronavirus restrictions on businesses and allow them to operate at full capacity. "It will all be open, just like it was prior to the virus," Dunleavy said. Local governments may choose to open at a different pace than the statewide order.
  • May 7: Bars and gyms will be allowed to open at 25% capacity Friday. Limits on social and religious gatherings will be increased to 50 people. Businesses will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity and restaurants will be allowed to serve walk-in customers.


Vaccine distribution

This section contains a table of quick facts on the state’s vaccine distribution plan and a timeline of noteworthy events, including updates on vaccine availability for new groups of individuals, changes to state distribution plans, and much more. If you know of a noteworthy story we are missing, please email us at editor@ballotpedia.org.

The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services released a distribution plan on October 16, 2020.

Quick facts

Alaska state vaccination plan quick information
What governing entities are responsible for vaccine allocation and distribution?[1] COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Committee
Where can I find a quick breakdown of phases in my state? State of Alaska COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Guidelines
Where can I find the distribution plan? Alaska COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
When was the plan first released to the public? October 16, 2020
When was the plan most recently updated? October 16, 2020
Where can I find answers to frequently asked questions? COVID-19 Vaccine Information for all Alaskans
Where can I find data related to the coronavirus vaccine in my state? COVID-19 vaccine dashboard
Where is the state health department's homepage? Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
Where can I find additional information about the state's vaccine distribution? The COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan in Alaska - AARP

Timeline

  • April 26, 2021: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) issued Administrative Order 321, prohibiting the state from requiring proof of vaccination for people to travel to or within Alaska.[2]
  • March 9, 2021: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) removed all eligibility requirements to receive vaccines. Alaska became the first state to allow anyone age 16 or older living or working in the state to make appointments.[3]
  • March 3, 2021: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced people in Phase 1c of the distribution plan became eligible for vaccinations. The phase included everyone age 55 and older. Anyone 16 or older could get vaccinated if they worked in an essential industry, had state-defined high-risk health conditions, lived in a state-defined multigenerational household, or resided in communities with limited plumbing.[4]


School reopenings and closures

See also: School responses in Alaska to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Schools in Alaska were closed to in-person instruction on March 16, 2020, and remained closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. To notify us of when schools were allowed to reopen statewide, email us. The timeline below lists statewide responses we tracked.

  • June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported most schools were in-person in Alaska .[5][6]
  • Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported about half of schools were in-person in Alaska.[7][8]
  • June 4, 2020: The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development released the Alaska Smart Start 2020 guidance. The guidance offered instructions for schools operating in low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk environments.[9]


  • April 9, 2020: Dunleavy closed schools for the remainder of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through May 1.[10]
  • March 20, 2020: Dunleavy announced that the statewide school closure, scheduled to end March 30, was extended to May 1.[11]
  • March 13, 2020: Dunleavy ordered a statewide closure of public schools March 16 through March 30.[12]

Statewide travel restrictions

See also: Travel restrictions issued by states in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021


Does Alaska have restrictions on travel? No. Out-of-state visitors are encouraged to arrive in the state with a negative COVID-19 test taken prior to departure. Visitors without a negative COVID-19 test can get tested at the airport at their own expense. The state recommends that visitors practice social distancing or enter self-quarantine while awaiting the results of the test. Asymptomatic visitors who can provide proof of a positive COVID-19 test taken within 90 days of departure and fully vaccinated visitors do not need to take a test.[13]

Visitors are still required to fill out a travel declaration form and submit a self-isolation plan to the state.

More information can be found at the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services website.

Timeline

  • April 16, 2021: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced that travelers to Alaska will be eligible to receive a free coronavirus vaccine starting June 1. The vaccines will be available at at the Juneau, Fairbanks, Ketchikan, and Anchorage airports.[14]
  • February 14, 2021: Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Adam Crum issued a health advisory that removes the testing and quarantine requirements for out-of-state travelers and returning residents. People entering the state are encouraged to either submit a test taken prior to departure or get tested at the airport. People who cannot provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test to screeners at the airport are encouraged to social distance until they receive the results of their test. The state recommends that visitors self-quarantine while awaiting test results.[15]
  • May 29, 2020: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced he was extending the 14-day quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers and residents returning to the state through June 5. According to Dunleavy, travelers who can prove they tested negative for COVID-19 before coming to Alaska can bypass the 14-day quarantine requirement. Dunleavy asked travelers to get tested at least 72 hours before arriving in the state.[16][17]
  • May 15, 2020: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) extended the travel restrictions on out-of-state travelers and residents returning to the state through June 2. The restrictions had been set to expire on May 19.[18]
  • April 21, 2020: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) said the international and out-of-state travel restrictions had been extended through May 19. The mandatory quarantine also applies to Alaska residents returning to state.[19]
  • March 11, 2020: Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) ordered all people traveling to Alaska, including residents, to fill out a travel declaration and complete a two-week quarantine. The order went into effect on March 25, 2020, and was to be reevaluated by April 21, 2020.[20]


Statewide mask requirements

See also: State-level mask requirements in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020


Alaska did not issue a statewide mask requirement.


Noteworthy lawsuits

See also: Lawsuits about state actions and policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

Forrer v. Alaska: On August 7, 2020, Juneau Superior Court Judge Phillip M. Pallenberg dismissed a lawsuit alleging that state appropriation of federal funds received per the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act violated the Alaska Constitution. In his complaint, Juneau resident Eric Forrer argued that the use of a legislative committee, instead of the full state legislature, to approve appropriation of the federal aid violated Article IX, Section 13, of the Alaska Constitution. In response to the lawsuit, the state legislature convened in late May and ratified the actions of the legislative committee. Following that ratification, Pallenberg declined to enjoin the legislature’s actions pending his final decision on the merits, ruling in July that there are no "special procedural requirements for appropriations bills in the Alaska Constitution." He added that, given the "rapidly evolving circumstances of a public health emergency," ratification of the legislative committee’s actions was likely constitutional. Following oral arguments, Pallenberg issued an order granting summary judgment in favor of the state, thus dismissing the case.[21][22][23]

Alaskans for Open Meetings, Inc. v. Anchorage Municipal Assembly: On November 2, 2020, a group of Anchorage residents sued the municipal assembly, arguing that its restrictions on public access to meetings violated state statute, as well as the state and federal constitutions. Following an uptick in Covid-19 cases, the assembly suspended in-person testimony, instead streaming meetings online and allowing for real-time telephonic and written testimony. Citing the Alaska Open Meetings Act, the plaintiffs asserted that "[w]hen the government breaks the law, the statute provides a remedy: voiding government action transacted in violation of open meetings laws." The plaintiffs, in turn, asked the court to invalidate several measures enacted during the period in question, including the purchase of buildings for housing the homeless and disbursement of CARES Act funds. The plaintiffs also asked the court to prevent the assembly from further suspending in-person participation in meetings. In response to the lawsuit, Anchorage Municipal Attorney Kate Vogel said the assembly had followed the open meetings law, "which explicitly allows for telephonic participation."[24][25]

Officials and candidates diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus

See also: Government official, politician, and candidate deaths, diagnoses, and quarantines due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020-2021

The table below lists officials or candidates who have been diagnosed with or quarantined due to coronavirus. The most recent announcements appear first.

Name Office Date Status
Lora Reinbold Alaska State Senate District G October 12, 2021 Reinbold announced on October 12, 2021, that she tested positive for COVID-19.[26]
Josh Revak Alaska State Senate District M November 13, 2020 Revak announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.[27]
Don Young (Alaska) U.S. House Alaska At-large District November 12, 2020 Young announced he had tested positive for coronavirus.[28]
Mike Cronk Alaska House of Representatives District 6 February 24, 2021 Cronk announced he had tested positive for coronavirus.[29]
Mike Dunleavy Governor of Alaska February 24, 2021 Dunleavy announced he tested positive for COVID-19.[30]
Austin Quinn-Davidson Mayor of Anchorage December 6, 2020 SQuinn-Davidson announced that she had tested positive for coronavirus.[31]

Paths to recovery by state

To read about other states’ responses and recoveries, click one of the links below:

Other state government responses

To view previous coverage areas, including changes to 2020 election dates and policies, initial stay-at-home orders, coronavirus-related legislation, and much more, click a state in the map below.

https://ballotpedia.org/Government_responses_to_and_political_effects_of_the_coronavirus_pandemic,_2020_(STATE)

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named section7
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AK426
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AK39
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named AK33
  5. ↑ Burbio rated Alaska's in-person index at 83.7. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  6. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed September 29, 2021
  7. ↑ Burbio rated Alabama's in-person index at between 40-60. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  8. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed September 29, 2021
  9. ↑ Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, "Alaska Smart Start 2020," accessed June 18, 2020
  10. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "State extends Alaska’s K-12 schools closure through rest of school year," April 9, 2020
  11. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "State closes schools until May 1; two new COVID-19 cases in Alaska bring total to 14," March 20, 2020
  12. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska officials close public schools to students through March 30 to limit spread of coronavirus," March 14, 2020
  13. ↑ State of Alaska, "Health Advisory No. 2: International and Interstate Travel," accessed February 16, 2021
  14. ↑ Travel and Leisure, "Alaska Will Give Tourists Free COVID-19 Vaccines This Summer," April 19, 2021
  15. ↑ State of Alaska, "Health Advisory No. 2: International and Interstate Travel," accessed February 16, 2021
  16. ↑ KTVA, "Alaska governor extends quarantine for out-of-state travelers until June 5," May 29, 2020
  17. ↑ Must Read Alaska, "Dunleavy: Travel quarantine can be avoided by pre-travel test for COVID-19," May 29, 2020
  18. ↑ Office of Governor Mike Dunleavy, "Governor Issues COVID-19 Health Mandate Updates," May 15, 2020
  19. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Gov. Dunleavy says Alaska will ease some coronavirus restrictions starting later this week," April 21, 2020
  20. ↑ The Anchorage Press, "All people arriving in Alaska must quarantine for 14 days, Governor says," March 23, 2020
  21. ↑ Juneau Superior Court, " Forrer v. Alaska: Corrected Order Granting Summary Judgment," August 7, 2020
  22. ↑ Juneau Superior Court, "Forrer v. Alaska: Complaint for Declaratory Relief and Potential Equitable Relief," May 13, 2020
  23. ↑ 11 KTVA, "Judge denies latest action to move virus relief lawsuit forward," August 7, 2020
  24. ↑ Third Judicial District Superior Court, "Alaskans for Open Meetings, Inc. v. Anchorage Municipal Assembly: Complaint," November 2, 2020
  25. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Municipality of Anchorage and Assembly sued over temporarily limiting in-person public access at meetings," accessed November 10, 2020
  26. ↑ The Washington Post, "GOP lawmaker, banned from flying Alaska Airlines over mask mandate, tests positive for coronavirus," October 14, 2021
  27. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage state Sen. Josh Revak tests positive for COVID-19 after attending event with U.S. Rep. Don Young," November 13, 2020
  28. ↑ Business Insider', "A 25-term congressman from Alaska who called COVID-19 the 'beer virus' and said concerns were 'created primarily by hysteria' has tested positive for the disease," November 14, 2020
  29. ↑ Must Read Alaska, "Rep. Mike Cronk tested positive, has mild symptoms," February 25, 2021
  30. ↑ The Hill, "Alaska governor tests positive for COVID-19," February 24, 2021
  31. ↑ Alaska Public Media, "Anchorage mayor tests positive for COVID-19," December 6, 2020
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