DUNLEAVY: "I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO HAVE THE WRONG IDEA THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE ECONOMY AHEAD OF THE HEALTH OF ALASKANS"
April 14, 2020
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Tuesday, April 14, 2020, that the state will work with communities and industry leaders to make decisions on how to proceed with the reopening of covid-19-affected sectors of the economy. Dunleavy noted it is important to focus on the numbers of positive cases in the state, by Tuesday, Alaska had reported 285 total cases of COVID-19 and nine coronavirus-related deaths. "The health of Alaskans will be one of the main considerations," Dunleavy said, saying, "I don't want anyone to have the wrong idea that we're going to put the economy ahead of the health of Alaskans, that's not the case at all." President Donald Trump, in a tweet on Monday, hinted that decisions about reopening states depended on him, not on governors. Dunleavy told reporters last Monday that he believed Trump was talking about the national economy, "governors made decisions to reverse activities in their respective states with the goal of limiting the spread of the virus," Dunleavy also confirmed that states are at different stages and have their own specific considerations. For the vast majority of people, the new coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms. Some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, may develop more serious conditions, such as pneumonia and death. by Sol de Medianoche |