Ketchikan, Alaska - The  Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center and Ketchikan School District have seen an increase in COVID-19 cases in the past couple of weeks, including an increase in community spread cases. There are 12 new cases reported in Ketchikan today, and 9 cases reported on Monday.  Seven of those cases were determined to be close contacts to a known positive case, three were attributed to community spread, three were determined to be related to recent travel, and eight of the cases remain under investigation.  In the past 10 days, there have been more than 10 positive cases attributed to staff or students of the Ketchikan High School.

Public Health and Ketchikan School District Nursing Staff will work with the positive cases to identify close contacts, and will reach out to anyone identified as a close contact and instruct them to quarantine and seek testing as appropriate.

Most of the risk indicators are currently trending up. With the increase in overall cases, the positivity rate (percent of positive cases compared to the amount of tests issued) is at 2.61 percent.  Five cases in the past seven days have been attributed to community transmission. In addition, a large percentage of the close contact and community spread cases were not in quarantine when they tested positive.  Because of these factors, the Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center is increasing the Ketchikan Community Risk Level to Level 3 – HIGH. 

The following mitigation measures are strongly recommended during Ketchikan Community Risk Level 3 – High:  

• Strongly recommend masks and social distancing be practiced in communal settings and public locations with 5 or more people. If six-foot distancing is not possible, then masks should be worn. 
• Strongly recommend businesses encourage telework to the maximum extent possible.  
• For employees who cannot telework, we strongly recommend that the business reduce capacity to ensure physical distancing can be maintained not to exceed 50% capacity; close shared spaces such as break rooms, kitchens, etc.
• Strongly recommend bars closed, restaurants reduce capacity to 50% and ensure physical distancing with reservations required. Delivery or curbside pick-up encouraged.
• Personal services (nail and hair salons, massages, etc.) appointments only with one customer per each service provider. No waiting areas.
• Gyms-no group activities and limit capacity to 25%. 
• Indoor gatherings limited to fewer than 20 individuals.
• Outdoor gatherings limited to fewer than 30 individuals.
• Modified Healthcare services (telemedicine, essential care, chronic care)
• Stop non-essential visits to Pioneer Home, Jail, Youth Center, WISH.

How does this affect the School District?

Ketchikan School District officials will determine whether to increase the District Risk Level from Low to Medium, and will make that announcement in the next couple of days.  More information on the School District Smart Start plan can be found at https://www.kgbsd.org/. 

Ketchikan High School Closed through Friday, May 7th

As a result of the recent positive cases, Ketchikan High School will be closed for the remainder of the week, May 5 - May 7, 2021 with remote learning in place. This is to provide sufficient time for Public Health to adequately trace these positive cases and for the school district to implement its other mitigation measures.  

All Activities and Practices are cancelled until at least Monday May 10, 2021. The District will provide updated information on the plan for next week’s learning and activities.  Please continue to monitor email and District communications for additional information.

The  Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center and Ketchikan School District urge all families to take the school closure and increased community risk level seriously.

In order to reduce the community risk level and end the school year healthy, Ketchikan has to be diligent in following the recommendations for health and safety precautions.  The Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center and Ketchikan School District urge parents to monitor their children and keep them home as appropriate. 

The  Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center and Ketchikan School District urge all families to stay home as much as possible, limit your interactions, wear a mask when you need to go out, and wash your hands often.  It will take the full cooperation of students, families, and the entire Ketchikan community to stop the spread and help to finish the school year strong.

Changes to Gateway Recreation Center and Borough Transit Beginning May 5th:

The Gateway Recreation Center will implement the following Level 3 measures at on May 5th:

• Rooms will be limited to 25% capacity.
• Swim Lessons will be canceled.
• Various programs will be canceled and participants will be notified.
• Open swims will be cancelled.
• Sauna limited to 3.
• Drop-in activities will be limited.

Transit Buses will have the following changes to its operations: Essential rides only. Face coverings required for all riders. Bus capacity will be limited to 10-15 riders at one time depending on the number of household groups riding. Examples of a household group are couples or parents with children or individuals that share a household.  If the bus is at capacity, it will not pick-up additional passengers until someone exits. Consider taking an earlier bus to ensure you will make it to work on time. Avoid peak travel times 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.  Paratransit capacity will be limited to 3 riders at one time. 

Additional updates for Ketchikan Borough and City facilities will be provided on May 5th. 

Public Health and the EOC recommend that anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to COVID-19 follow these recommendations*: 

1. Self-quarantine for a period of 10 days since your last exposure.
2. If you are asymptomatic, you can reduce the quarantine period in item 1 by:
1. Getting tested for COVID-19 on day 6 or 7 after your last exposure, and self-quarantine until you receive a negative result.
2. If you receive a negative result and continue to be asymptomatic you can resume normal activities on day 8.
3. If your result is positive, continue to isolate and follow the advice of Public Health.
3. If at any time you become symptomatic you should seek testing for COVID-19 immediately:
1. If you receive a negative result continue to quarantine for at least 10 days and until you are fever free for 72 hours without the use of medication.
2. If you receive a positive test continue to isolate and follow advice of Public Health
4. If you need guidance or have questions about self-quarantine, isolation, or when to test; call Public Health at 225-4350.

The  Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center's Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated Individuals are posted at www.kgbak.us/covid19

The Berth 3 Drive-Up Testing Clinic is available every day this week, including Sunday and Monday, for free testing for anyone who is symptomatic, believes they may be a close contact to a known positive, or may have recently been exposed to COVID-19. The hours of the Berth 3 Drive-Up Clinic are 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. AND 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

 Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center'
www.kgbak.us/covid19

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