Increased COVID-19 affects school, business and government operations

The uptick in COVID-19 cases after the holiday season has caused businesses to alter hours or close for days at a time, borough government to reinstate safety protocols, and schools to postpone sporting events.

As of Wednesday morning, the borough had reported 114 cases since Dec. 30, a one-month record for the community and one-third of all the infections tallied in the almost 2-year-old pandemic.

Close contact with active COVID-19 cases for Brittani Robbins, executive director of the chamber of commerce, and her assistant Luana Wellon, caused them to close the office for two days the first week of January.

"We were both sick," Robbins said. "We consistently tested negative (for COVID-19). We both had symptoms. They fell in line with COVID symptoms, so just out of a precaution we closed just the office. We were still working from home, and people could still call. We could do digital meetings. We were fine. We just didn't want to be down here spreading germs."

She said she and Wellon are both vaccinated and each have received booster shots. It wasn't the first time Robbins was exposed to COVID-19, but it was the first time she exhibited symptoms. The first time she was exposed was from face-to-face conversations with a person who had it. The second time was spending time with a person in the same room, but not up close.

"When I'm looking at the (case counts), it really seems to have exploded the week after New Year's Eve when there was a lot of gathering," Robbins said.

Since closing the office for a couple of days, Robbins now keeps the door locked to keep too many people from entering the chamber space in the Stikine Inn. "We don't want lots of people coming in here, so messaging or calling ahead (works) or we'll let (visitors) in if no one else is in here, but it's not a free-flowing doorway."

Robbins also said she is not sending her children to school due to the increase in active cases. Both children have health issues that put them at-risk, so she's been homeschooling them.

The schools are also faced with uncertainty in day-to-day operations and in extracurricular activities.

"I had to cancel a trip for the girls volleyball (team) to state because of COVID right at the last minute," said Bob Davis, assistant principal of the high school and middle school. "Everything (students) work and struggle for can be taken at any point."

Most recently, boys and girls basketball games that were scheduled for last Friday and Saturday were postponed by the visiting team from Haines.

"Since we've already had some experience with the COVID basketball season last year, we prepare as best we can, knowing that the possibility of canceling could be high," said Christina Good, head coach of the girls team. "If we get canceled, we just start preparing for our next opponent."

In this case, the next games are scheduled for a tournament in Anchorage this Saturday.

Good said the coaching staff will try to bolster the team's outlook as well. "As coaches, we know how they are feeling, so validating how they feel helps them get through each day," she said. "Also, telling the girls only to focus on what they are in control of."

The teams are still attending regular practice, following the school district's mitigation plan, which includes regular testing of student-athletes who are traveling for upcoming games. Activities Director Trisa Rooney said she administers 40 to 46 antigen and some PCR tests for basketball players and coaches every week.

Since the district began testing last fall for COVID-19, Rooney said 725 tests have been given, with 11 positive results between students and staff. She said the spike in cases led to last weekend's basketball cancellations.

"In discussions with Haines and the previous cancellation of teams from Craig (where schools were closed), it caused Haines (which also has a COVID spike) to suggest that we reschedule the games so that everyone can participate," Rooney said.

The inconsistency that increased cases can cause can also have a toll on mental health.

"My biggest concern is the lack of consistency for our kids," said Addy Esco, school counselor. "I tell folks that one of the greatest things they can do for their children or any student in their life is to provide a predictable and consistent environment. COVID disrupts this exponentially. On any given day, based on a positive case, close contact, etc., our students' entire routine is thrown into a bit of chaos."

Esco said such uncertainty can lead students to disengage from school and activities because it suddenly doesn't seem worth it to pursue. "The work that students pour into practice and training in order to compete as a team is suddenly gone depending on COVID status."

Reme Privett, who has owned Rayme's Bar on the corner of Front Street and Case Avenue for 15 years, said two of his bartenders tested positive for COVID-19 after New Year's Eve.

"What I ended up doing was just closing the bar down. Kind of a precaution thing," he said. "At the beginning of this they told you that if you have close contact, you have to close for three days."

Privett decided to close for four days, then opened for the morning and day shifts, closing at 6 p.m. for a few nights since one staff member was still under the weather. The business has returned to normal hours - 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week - but clientele is cautious in returning.

"With COVID, it's all a little different. Everything is a little slow. Every time we get an uptick, people hunker down and stay home," he said.

Once cases began to climb, borough staff took action to prevent spread as much as possible.

"The response to the uptick in cases is that we have gone back to mask mandates in public buildings," said Borough Manager Jeff Good. "We are also taking a look at our return-to-work policy after travel."

He said regular borough operations haven't had to be put on hold due to a lack of staff, but if that were the case, he's making sure there are options.

"I have also had discussions with the borough manager of Petersburg to ensure both communities are willing to assist each other if staffing shortages do arise."