Gov. Dunleavy should act now to protect public health

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has full authority to act now to relieve overflowing hospitals, and he must use that power. As a registered nurse, I see the need firsthand, and believe that we must put human life above crass political calculations. Unfortunately, Gov. Dunleavy has cynically introduced legislation in an attempt to pass the buck and deflect blame from his do-nothing response to the delta variant surge. As the death count rises and our emergency rooms are beyond capacity, Alaskans can’t afford to wait another minute: The governor should act now to address COVID-19 instead of engaging in legislative hijinks.

Earlier this year, the Legislature voted to give broad authority for the governor to issue or continue public health disaster declarations so health care providers can respond to the unprecedented demand for services related to COVID. At the time legislators passed that bill, they spoke about how that authority might be necessary depending on how COVID variants developed. Tragically, that authority is needed right now, and Gov. Dunleavy must use it.

Unfortunately, the governor ended the COVID public health disaster declaration the day after the Legislature passed it. As a result, cancer patients and many other Alaskans no longer can receive care through telehealth, but must fly in person to specialists in the Lower 48. Health care providers have far more restricted ability to provide COVID testing and COVID care. Our hospitals and doctors have urged Gov. Dunleavy to enact a public health disaster declaration so our health care providers can meet the need of Alaskans. Tragically, the body count rises while the governor refuses to act.

Last week, Gov. Dunleavy’s cynicism reached new depths as he introduced legislation related to telehealth and a Nurse License Compact. This is a thinly veiled attempt to deflect blame from his own lack of leadership. The governor can use a public health declaration right now to restore telehealth authority, and Chapter 12, Section 44.318 of Alaska Administrative Code gives his department authority to issue Emergency Courtesy Licenses to nurses traveling to Alaska to help with the delta surge.

So the authority he requests from the Legislature is completely unnecessary to address the clear and present danger of COVID — but even worse, the Nurse License Compact would have negative effects on nurses and Alaskans long after this pandemic is over. We would give up our state sovereignty to ensure rigorous nurse training and quality of care to a national organization, and Dunleavy would tag all our registered nurses with higher licensing fees. At a time when all of us have been working to save lives, the higher fees are insulting and completely unjustified.

Fortunately, legislators from House Speaker Louise Stutes to Health and Social Services Committee co-chairs Rep. Tiffany Zulkosky and Rep. Liz Snyder have urged the governor to use his existing authority — clearly, that is a faster and better approach that ramming through legislation that is both unnecessary and even counterproductive for our health care system.

Finally, let’s recognize that telehealth and hiring authority isn’t nearly sufficient to address COVID. The data is overwhelming: Places with low vaccination rates and political resistance to mask wearing are where hospitals are overflowing.

This is an entirely avoidable tragedy borne of politicization of a virus. If Gov. Dunleavy really wanted to save lives, he would join Alaska’s congressional delegation and other leaders in urging Alaskans to get vaccinated. Dunleavy would publicly support Dr. Anne Zink and health experts’ call for masking in indoor public spaces — schools, businesses and workplaces. These basic public health practices are needed right now, before more Alaskans die unnecessarily.

Jennifer Hazen is a mom and a registered nurse at Providence Alaska Medical Center. She lives in Anchorage.

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