A new surge of COVID-19 cases was announced on Wednesday by Skagway’s community health clinic. This comes on the heels of a federal judge’s decision to strike down mask mandates in the transportation industry, and it comes less than a week before the summer cruise season is scheduled to start.

Skagway’s Dahl Memorial Clinic’s Medical Director Brent Kunzler says the town is in one of its largest outbreaks of the pandemic with upwards of 30 residents testing positive since the first week of April.

“What I have seen is mostly kids, some adults. Seems like it affects the kids a little harder this time,” said Kunzler.

He says it’s difficult to find an exact number of cases with the elevated use of rapid home tests.

The clinic made a public announcement on Wednesday advising residents to wash their hands thoroughly, get vaccinated and boosted, and wear masks where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Also announced on Wednesday was a ruling by a federal judge removing the mask mandate in the transportation industry. The Alaska Marine Highway System promptly joined with many airline companies to announce masks would be optional moving forward. 

With Skagway’s cruise season set to start next week, that leaves residents in charge of their own health safeguards as government entities have mostly stepped away from the arena.

Kunzler says he’s not sure which variants are responsible for the current surge in Skagway as rapid tests don’t test for specific strains, but he recognizes that COVID is still very contagious.

“I don’t see it going away anytime soon, and it sure hasn’t, has it? Asked Kunzler.

Masking is required inside publically accessible municipal buildings if six feet of social distancing isn’t possible. Businesses have the option to require masks on-premises.

The CDC still suggests isolating for five days after the onset of symptoms or a positive COVID test, followed by five days of wearing a mask in public for most people. It also suggests wearing masks indoors and on public transportation.

Vaccines and boosters, including a second round of boosters for people over 50, are available at the Dahl Memorial Clinic by appointment. Rapid tests are also available by appointment and the clinic does offer several COVID treatments that must be administered within a couple of days after the onset of symptoms in order to be effective. The Skagway Traditional Council offers COVID-19 testing free of charge from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

 

***This article has been corrected to include accurate masking information inside publicly accessible municipal buildings.***