KCAW Coronavirus Information Hub

Sitka's mask mandate expired on March 22, 2022. Guidance for masking, group gatherings, etc. depends on the community's alert level, as per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Low: 

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19
• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
  • Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies

Medium:

• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)
  • Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies
• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease
  • consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
  • consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

High:

• Wear a well-fitting mask¹ indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor community settings)
• If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
  • Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection
  • Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to take other precautions (e.g., testing)
  • Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies

• If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease
  • consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
  • consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
• Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
• Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

¹ At all levels, people can wear a mask based on personal preference, informed by personal level of risk. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.

In Sitka, there are two ways to register for vaccines: through the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) or Harry Race and White's Pharmacies.

• The Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC)
  Anyone can add their name to SEARHC's vaccine list to receive a notification when a vaccine is available to them. Fill out the vaccine survey here.

• Harry Race and White's Pharmacies
  You can learn more about their plans here. Schedule an appointment through the state for one of the Harry Race/White's vaccination clinics at the Sitka Firehall, register with Harry Race/White's at the state's PrepMod site, or call 907-206-2202.

• Read more about each vaccine here:
  Pfizer 
  Moderna 
  Johnson & Johnson 

People who are fully vaccinated can resume many activities they did before the pandemic. However, people should wear a mask indoors in public if they are in an area of substantial or high transmission.

• Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, the US Centers for Disease Control recommends that you isolate and obtain a covid test -- even if you are fully vaccinated. The SEARHC COVID Hotline is 907-966-8799 (8 A.M. - 5 P.M.). After hours, call the Nurse Advice Line at 1-800-613-0560.

ISOLATE if you test positive

The US Centers for Disease Control has shortened the recommended time for isolation for people with COVID-19 to 5 days, if asymptomatic, followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others.

The majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after. Therefore, people who test positive should isolate for 5 days and, if asymptomatic at that time, they may leave isolation if they can continue to mask for 5 days to minimize the risk of infecting others.

QUARANTINE if you've been exposed to a known positive

For people who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine) and not yet boosted, CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days. Alternatively, if a 5-day quarantine is not feasible, it is imperative that an exposed person wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. Individuals who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.

For all those exposed, best practice would also include a test for SARS-CoV-2 at day 5 after exposure. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19.

Updated May 27, 2021

The State of Alaska has no special entry or travel testing requirements. This website contains information and advisories for travelers, as well as links to community-specific travel restrictions, and information about arriving via the Alaska Ferry or road.

You can view all State Health Advisories at the Office of the Governor.