A group of lawmakers sent a letter to the governor last week demanding a comprehensive mitigation plan for the coronavirus pandemic. But Gov. Mike Dunleavy says that he already has one.
Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky, a Bethel Democrat, recently sat through a House Health and Social Services committee hearing that she chairs as health experts testified about the pandemic response in Alaska.
"And all of the data they had indicated is showing that Alaska is headed in the wrong direction with response to the COVID-19 pandemic," Zulkosky said.
Zulkosky and 11 lawmakers drafted a letter to Dunleavy calling on him to implement a more rigorous coronavirus response. In the letter, lawmakers suggest that the governor limit group gatherings, institute a statewide mask mandate in places where people can’t physically distance, and restrict capacity indoors in public spaces.
"There's a lot of conversation about the data that they're collecting, but there's not a lot of conversation around how that data is driving decision making within the administration," Zulkosky said.
The lawmakers also want Dunleavy to increase transparency over how the administration is using the data it’s collecting. To do that, lawmakers say that there should be metrics that communities can use when deciding how to protect their residents. But Dunleavy says that the current mandates in place are sufficient for now.
A statement sent to KYUK from the governor’s office said “Governor Dunleavy ha[s] made it clear the mitigation strategy will be reviewed and amended based on the data.”