Watch live: Mayor Berkowitz discusses easing pandemic restrictions on Anchorage businesses

Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz presents a COVID-19 community update with Natasha Pineda, director of the Anchorage Health Department, and Chris Schutte, director of the Office of Community and Economic Development.

At Friday’s briefing, Berkowitz will release business safety criteria for transitioning into phase 1, “Easing,” of the “Safe Anchorage: Roadmap to Reopening the Municipality of Anchorage” plan.

Residents may participate in the briefing by submitting questions in the comments of the Facebook Live post.

Here’s the municipality’s full media release on the announcement:

Today, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz released safety criteria that must be met for certain businesses to open or expand operations beginning Monday April 27, 2020. The health metrics established in the “Safe Anchorage: Roadmap to Reopening the Municipality of Anchorage” plan have been met, and indicate that the Municipality can cautiously move from Hunkering Down to “Easing” restrictions. Before Monday, the Mayor will issue an emergency order that will supersede the Hunker Down order and allow for these modifications.

“As we ease some restrictions, we have to continue being our best selves – following the hygiene and distancing practices that we began in Hunker Down,” said Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. “The more disciplined we are, the more responsible we remain, the safer we will be.”

Working alongside the State, the Municipality worked with local businesses and public health experts to develop safety measures for the following sectors:

• Food – restaurants that provide table service
• Retail – general retail stores, such as clothing, sporting goods, books, greenhouses, gifts, etc.
• Personal care services – beauty, barber and hair salons; cosmological services, tattoo shops, body piercing, etc.
• Non-critical businesses that interact with the public – service-focused businesses that include a retail-style storefront such as bait shacks, carpet stores, etc.
• Non-critical professional services that do not interact with the public – such as law offices, architectural, engineering and environmental agencies, consulting services, etc.

Safety measures vary based on the business sector and include but are not limited to developing COVID-19 mitigation plans; employees and customers wearing face coverings; and physical distancing.

Businesses that can meet the criteria may begin operations on Monday, April 27, 2010. The lists of required and recommended safety measures for each sector may be found online at www.muni.org/COVID-19.

Individuals must continue to take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including: maintaining physical distancing, washing hands regularly, and limiting non-urgent trips outside of the home. Individuals are strongly encouraged to protect themselves and others by wearing face coverings when in public and encouraged to recreate outside while maintaining physical distancing from anyone outside of the immediate household.

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‘Ready to get back to work’: Anchorage residents rally for an end to pandemic restrictions

Families of assisted living residents in Anchorage organize celebration for workers

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