On August 11, Grant Aviation was informed that an employee who works at the Bethel station tested positive for COVID-19. The employee and Grant Aviation are working with the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation, Public Health Nursing in Bethel, and the State of Alaska Section of Epidemiology to conduct contact tracing and notify individuals who may have unknowingly had close contact with the employee while they were potentially infectious.
Grant Aviation is considered a critical infrastructure employer and has maintained a plan with the State for protective measures throughout the pandemic. Masks are always required in all Grant Aviation facilities and onboard aircraft. Aircraft are also cleaned after each flight. Upon notification of the positive test result the Company took immediate action to protect the public and their employees from further exposure and began testing of its employees. To date, no other employee has tested positive.
Following the recommendations of YKHC and the CDC, Grant Aviation encourages passengers who traveled on the affected dates and within the listed communities to self-quarantine for 14 days from the date they traveled and monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms of COVID-19 include a fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, diarrhea, and diminished sense of taste or smell. If you have these symptoms, do not go to your village clinic or to the emergency room in Bethel. Instead, call your village clinic or in Bethel call 543-6949 so a health care provider can assist you.
Quarantine is used to keep those who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others to help prevent the spread of the disease. This is especially important with COVID because many people can be infected and spread the disease without experiencing any symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from health officials.
Community members who were not on these flights do not need to quarantine but should be practicing COVID-19 prevention measures. This includes staying 6 feet from non-household members, wearing a mask in public, washing hands often, staying home and isolating if sick and calling a health care provider about testing if you experience symptoms.
YKHC has COVID-19 testing available in village clinics and Bethel. If someone would like to schedule testing, please contact your local clinic or in Bethel call 543-6949.
State Epidemiologist Dr. Joe McLaughlin relays the importance for those identified as close contacts to quarantine, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Alaskans traveling back to home communities should also be aware that now, under revised Health Mandate 10, they can get tested for free before traveling within Alaska at the state’s airport sites. This testing is being provided to help protect Alaska’s rural communities.
Other COVID prevention traveling tips include:
• Do not travel if you or anyone you are traveling with is sick, or if you have been around someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
• Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth while traveling.
• Stay at least six feet from others.
• Wash your hands often.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Grant Aviation passengers who traveled on the following dates, between the following communities, are being considered as close contacts of the employee who tested positive for COVID-19. Close contacts are individuals who have been within six feet of the person who tested positive for more than 15 minutes.
August 3
Morning
Bethel-Mountain Village
Mountain Village-Bethel
St. Mary’s-Bethel
Mt. Village-Bethel
Mid-day/Early Evening
Bethel-Chevak
Bethel-Scammon Bay
Scammon Bay-Hooper Bay
Chevak-Hooper Bay
Chevak-Bethel
Hooper Bay-Bethel
August 4
Morning
Bethel-Kipnuk
Bethel-Chefornak
Kipnuk-Bethel
Chefornak-Bethel
Mid-day/Early Evening
Bethel-Hooper Bay
Hooper Bay-Bethel
Scammon Bay-Bethel
August 6
Morning
Bethel-Scammon Bay
Bethel-Hooper Bay
Scammon Bay-Hooper Bay
Hooper Bay-Bethel
Hooper Bay-Scammon Bay
Scammon Bay-Bethel
August 7
Early Evening
Hooper Bay-Chevak
Chevak-Bethel
August 8
Early Evening
Chevak-Bethel
August 9
Mid-day
Bethel-Hooper Bay
Bethel-Scammon Bay
Bethel-Chevak
Scammon Bay-Bethel
August 10
Mid-day
Bethel-Mt. Village
Bethel-St. Mary’s
Early Evening
Mt. Village-Bethel
St. Mary’s-Bethel
It was a pilot that had it. So if you flew go and get tested.