Cordova considers antibody testing

Options on the table in lieu of new Abbott Labs’ five-minute COVID-19 test

Colorized transmission electron microscopic image of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus. Photo courtesy of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Cordova officials are looking at all possible options to keep the city free of the novel coronavirus responsible for the pandemic, including antibody testing for everyone arriving in town, even before they self-quarantine, says Mayor Clay Koplin.

The antibody tests are being considered in lieu of the immediate availability of the portable five-minute test kits from Abbott Labs recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Koplin said on Tuesday, March 30.

With the number of people in Alaska testing positive for COVID-19 rising daily, rural areas like Cordova are taking a number of steps to prevent the spread of the virus into their communities, which lack the ability to deal with the virus. Several of these communities, including Cordova, have already mandated that anyone arriving in town, including residents returning from travel, must self-quarantine for 14 days before going out in public.

State health mandates issued over the past week direct that everyone arriving in Alaska, whether resident, worker or visitor are required to self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor for illness. The mandate applies to everyone, unless they support critical infrastructure.

Those who qualify under the definition of critical infrastructure workers may go to work immediately, provided that they have an approved Community/Workforce Protective Plan and that they have enacted protective measures in the plan to safeguard the surrounding community and others in their workforce from the newly arrived workers.

Parent companies in the fish industry are required to submit protective plans on behalf of their crews and develop measures for ship captains to implement, according to the state mandate.

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Having incoming crews self-quarantine on their vessels is acceptable, in fact probably preferred.

However, if crewmembers are spending any time in apartments or hotel rooms before sailing, they must follow self-quarantine measures.

Cordova’s new emergency order also requires all vessels/operators to sign mutual aid agreements, which bind the operator to follow all city and state mandates, including the 14-day quarantine for those who have recently traveled or who are symptomatic while working. They must also agree to take responsibility to ensure their crew does the same.

The city of Cordova’s first health mandate, issued on March 20, specified that anyone entering Cordova by commercial air service or otherwise within the last 14 days must stay home and keep a six-foot distance from others in the home for 14 days.

Effect Monday, March 29, the city of Cordova also required all businesses open to more than five customers at one time to post COVID-19 protective measures and policies on site, detailing measures taken by that business to protect employees and customers from exposure to the virus. The city also established temporary operation rules for conducting city business, including provisions for electronic meetings, suspension of non-essential city meetings, adjustment of facility hours and usage, deferral of payments and provisions for employee work rules.

Many residents of Cordova, as well as some other rural communities, have expressed a desire to close local airports to all traffic. State officials, however, have advised that they have confirmed with the Federal Aviation Administration that airport closures are not a valid option at this time for several reasons, including the role they play in providing critical life, health and safety access between rural communities and urban areas.

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