This means that the city is switching from a city-funded model to a federally funded one. Talk to your health care provider as soon as possible about potential treatment options. That increased transmissibility appears to be due to the subvariant's ability to avoid . These symptoms include: fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chills, decreased appetite, diminished sense of taste or smell, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, muscle/joint aches, nausea, rash, rigors, runny nose, sore throat or sputum production. What can I do on an April visit to Anchorage? The warehouse has a logistics manager, office staff, and there is a main lead for the Anchorage operations.. Anchorage COVID-19 Testing Plan Version: February 2021 . If You Are Sick or Exposed to COVID-19. Contact her at zhollander@adn.com. . Traveler requirements and public health precautions in the Municipality of Anchorage. Longstanding testing contractor Visit Healthcare is being replaced by Capstone Family Medicine, a Wasilla-based company that operates medical clinics but also scores of COVID-19 testing sites around the state, including at airports and in local communities. Anchorage COVID-19 clinic that operated out of former hotel faces If you're a Veteran who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning,or a related identity,were committed to serving your needs. What can I do in the evening in Anchorage? Get notifications about news related to the topics you care about. We offer resources and support for minority Veterans to help address your specific needs with benefits and services at VA. VA wants to make sure that you get the best possible care. We have also expanded the scope of who we test; weve transitioned from only testing patients with symptoms to those who are asymptomatic but may need clearance for travel or work.. Its important to note that each site has different rules; some healthcare facilities only take their own patients; other sites may or may not require a medical referral; and some will not accept medical vouchers. Two COVID testing sites in Anchorage closed on Friday, July 15. The existing Muldoon and Changepoint locations will make the transition from Visit Healthcare to Capstone in the coming weeks, Gerace said Wednesday in the health policy committee meeting. Five of the sites were first opened in late July during a spike in daily coronavirus case counts in Anchorage, which have gradually declined in recent weeks. Two new sites are now open as well: one in Eagle River, and another at the Alaska Geological Materials Center in Anchorage. Here's how to get an at-home COVID test kit in Anchorage The city closed the testing site at the Loussac Library, one of the citys busiest, on Wednesday in order to transition that location to a site on C Street to be run by Capstone. While running the drive-through clinic, we learned a lot more about how to keep the staff warm and what needed to be done to keep them protected from symptomatic people; we needed to put in more safety precautions to keep the staff safe, explains Ashley Johnson, who manages the Lake Otis site and is a continuous improvement specialist for Providence Alaska Medical Center. Click here for more information about Alaska Marine Highway schedules and sailing details. There is also a lot of back-end processing that has to occur; a lot of work needs to be done ahead of time, and theres a lot of work that happens after the patient leaves to make sure that everything is properly processed and prepared to be sent to the state for processing, she adds. You may qualify for services like training, counselingor respite care when you need a break. Emily Goodykoontz is a reporter covering Anchorage local government and general assignments. It was costing us, at peak time, it was costing us $445,000 a week for testing. The community level of Covid-19 in Anchorage Municipality is low based on cases and hospitalizations, according to the most recent update from the C.D.C. Visit is not really set up to do the same kind of billing that Capstone is, and thats the main issue, Perez-Verdia said. Our women's health program offers complete health care for women Veterans of all ages. People had a lot of questions when they came to the site; for example, we realized that a lot of people didnt know that they needed to quarantine afterwards. KTOO collaborates with partners across the state to cover important news and to share stories with our audiences. Our sites are using the SARS COV-2 assay with both oral and nasal swabs, though if there are small children, they may do a nasal swab instead of an oral one if needed, says Gray. All rights reserved. Planning a trip to Alaska? Gerace also announced Wednesday that the municipality is shifting from a city funding model to a federal one. Text your ZIP code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233 to find vaccine locations near you. Other wise you need to do a PCR within the 48 hrs, and hope the provider will get you the result in time. Our specialists provide a full range of services to help you get and understand your prescription medicines and supplies. There was no information on social media sites run by the Anchorage Health Department as to the reason for the change or specific revised locations. Get information on COVID-19 test options near you. The Municipality of Anchorage is expanding the hours and locations of its free drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites. Testing is available at numerous drive-up and walk-in sites throughout Anchorage. You can: Your VA primary care provider will work closely with you to plan for all the care you need to stay healthy and well throughout your life, including immunizations and vaccinations. Medicare covers up to 8 over-the-counter COVID-19 tests each calendar month, at no cost to you, until the Public Health Emergency ends on May 11, 2023. Alaska Business 2023 This change also comes with Capstone taking over the Visit Healthcare location in Eagle River, the Loussac replacement site at 4810 C St., and a new testing site in Alaska Park on Spenard Road. local public health clinics or through the federal government. Your team will partner with you on all aspects of your health with a focus on prevention and health promotion. 1118 N Muldoon Rd, Ste 130, Anchorage, AK 99504. The U.S./Canada border is open to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and international travelers. Anchorage Health Department changes COVID-19 testing process, closing CMS Announces Upcoming Changes to COVID-19 Test Reimbursement Policies Anchorage businesses have ramped up sanitation procedures, adjusted operations to allow for increased physical distancing, and added new touchless or curbside options to minimize customer contact. Anchorage Health Department 825 L Street Anchorage, AK 99501 Anchorage Animal Care & Control 4711 Elmore Road Anchorage, AK 99507 Pub lic Healt h: working for all of us all of the time! Ensure the test codes you need are mapped in your EHR. The sites will switch to Capstones hands by mid-December, McNeily said. We can help you readjust to civilian life if you're returning from military service, on active duty, or an activated National Guard or Reserve member. Testing is available. All rights reserved. What public health and safety rules do I need to know about during my stay in Anchorage? Search By Vaccine Brand Name. In addition to these sites, testing continues to remain available at a free drive-thru site at 4115 Lake Otis Parkway operated by Providence Health & Services Alaska. The company that runs Anchorages municipal coronavirus testing sites is scaling back its hours this week, even as the city continues to see some of the nations highest rates of COVID-19 transmission in the country. At least one Anchorage resident took to Twitter to share her struggles with the testing transition Wednesday. Location Ratings. Search by Date. (Lake Otis or Visit Healthcare) o Percent of positive tests WHO recommends this should be <3% as an indication of sufficient testing. The assembly later approved a $2.65 million request from the Bronson administration that fully restored testing levels through November. According to the CDC, there are two types of tests available for COVID-19: viral tests, which tell individuals if they have a current infection, and antibody tests that tell them if they had a past infection. Thanks.]. Local independent pharmacies in partnership with Health Mart, eTrueNorth, and TOPCO. And we can help you connect with resources in your community. Anchorage, AK 99501-3567 Phone: (907) 269-7900 1-800-INSURAK (in-state, outside Anchorage) Anchorage Municipality, Alaska Covid Case and Risk Tracker Every day we made continuous improvements; every day brought something a little different, so we spent a lot of time observing and monitoring and constantly readjusting, says Terpstra. Weve started the transition that we had discussed before on the testing locations going to a (Health Resources and Services Administration) model versus a city MOA-funded model, said Anchorage Health Department Director Joe Gerace when he spoke with the Anchorage Assembly Health Policy Committee on Wednesday. The switch to a new location and vendor is really disruptive, Perez-Verdia said. I think from a patient experience, things are going really, really well, and the fact that weve done this many tests without any of our staff getting sick tells me that were doing a quality job, says Terpstra. [Because of a high volume of comments requiring moderation, we are temporarily disabling comments on many of our articles so editors can focus on the coronavirus crisis and other coverage. Learn more and connect with a coordinator. She drove to the University of Alaska Anchorage testing site but it was also closed. COVID-19 Testing; Vaccination Services; Bulk Test Kits; Check all that apply. The five testing sites will be located in the parking lots of the following: ChangePoint Church, 6689 Changepoint Drive Fairview Community Recreation Center, 1121 East 10 th Avenue Anchorage Church of Christ, 2700 Debarr Road ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A new temporary drive-thru COVID-19 testing site is opening in Midtown Anchorage, according to the Southcentral Foundation. The State of Alaska encourages travelers who are not fully vaccinated to practice social distancing until test results arrive. Accessibility, Wheelchairs & Reduced Mobility, Click here to read the State of Alaska's COVID-19 Response and Recovery Health Advisory No. Where can I store and ship fish in Anchorage? That trend could change, he continued, but the rate has continued to fall over the last several weeks. Ive seen it every time Ive pulled in for Assembly meetings, Young said. If you're a minority Veteran, we can help you get the services and benefits you need. Military sexual trauma refers to sexual assault, sexual harassment, or other threatening, offensive, or unwanted sexual advances, activities, or remarks that you experienced in the military.