With the end of the pandemic in sight, city officials voted to revise local COVID-19 rules Monday night. They also added a measure to make the city’s response to future developments more nimble.<\/p>\n
Based on the vote, local mask-wearing rules and size limits on gatherings will vary based on vaccination rates. The city manager will also have more latitude to adjust mitigation measures based on guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Beginning Sunday, residents and visitors can skip airport testing when arriving in town.<\/p>\n
The new rules will expire July 31, a hastening of the initial timeline that set late October as the sunset date, a change proposed by Mayor Beth Weldon.<\/p>\n
“We are winding down. It does not look like we are going to get huge cruise traffic in town. As long as things look good, we should revisit this on July 31,” she said.<\/p>\n
With vaccines available, lawmakers relax rules at Capitol<\/a><\/ins><\/p>\n Adding flexibility<\/p>\n As the pandemic eases, city officials said they are carefully watching for federal guidance on future mitigation measures.<\/p>\n “We are trying to adjust our strategies regularly. I believe over the next month or two, the science is going to become a lot more comfortable with restrictions lifting,” Mila Cosgrove, deputy city manager and the COVID-19 emergency operations center incident, told assembly members.<\/p>\n Based on the expectation of evolving federal guidance, the ordinance allows City Manager Rorie Watt to adjust mitigation measures based on advice from the CDC. The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly will ratify any changes made by staff members and allow for public comment during the ratification process.<\/p>\n CBJ’s municipal attorney Robert Palmer said that this move allows for greater flexibility.<\/p>\n “My understanding is that the CDC is considering recommendations to masking. This gives the manager the ability to react to the guidance,” Palmer said. “This means the manager is required to comply with CDC guidance as soon as it comes out and then present it to you.”<\/p>\n