The City of Dillingham will once again require masks in public places, following a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the Dillingham Census Area and across the state.
The city released Emergency Order 4.0 on Thursday. It goes into effect at 11:59 p.m.
Masks are required in public places, including businesses. That requirement does not extend to the Dillingham City School District's physical education courses or athletic activities.
Quarantine is not required, regardless of vaccination status, although testing and quarantine are still recommended.
In the past three days, 30 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Dillingham area -- half of all cases reported in the area since the beginning of the month 61 people have tested positive.
Interim City Manager Chris Hladick based his decision to require masks on a list of metrics he created in July. One of those defines a localized outbreak as five cases in a seven day period.
“We’re now in a position where we have plus 30 cases in the Dillingham Census Area: Manokotak; Twin Hills and other communities," he said. "Plus we have seven confirmed cases in Dillingham. So the metric was five cases in seven days. We’re there. Since fishing is over more people are traveling to town and the possibility of bringing it back is high.”
Eleven people in the City of Dillingham have tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the month, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard -- seven within the last week.
Hladick consulted with Dillingham Public Health, the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation and the state Department of Epidemiology.
Hladick says he appreciates the community’s efforts to keep each other safe during this time.
“We’re all in this together," Hladick said. "Wearing a mask, I don’t necessarily like it but I’m going to do it and I have been doing it in public places. I think it’s the right thing to do.
Emergency Order 4.0 will stay in effect until further notice.
This article was updated to include additional information about the ordinance's mask requirement.
Contact the author at tyler@kdlg.org or 907-842-2200
