March 21, 2020
The Honorable Michael Dunleavy
Governor of Alaska
550 W 7th Ave #1700
Anchorage, AK 99501
Dear Governor Dunleavy,
We are a group of Alaska physicians speaking out of concern for our patients, our communities
and our fellow medical personnel. We work in a wide range of specialties and healthcare settings but we
are unified in our expert medical advice:
1. Alaska needs a shelter in place order now; and
2. Alaska needs a mandated travel ban.
Data suggest that the majority of COVID19 infections are transferred from people who are
asymptomatic. Until we build the testing capacity to test everyone coming into the state and receive rapid
results, the only solution to contain this outbreak is to institute an immediate non-essential travel ban and
home quarantine. We thank you for the steps that you have already taken to restrict travel and encourage
Alaskans to stay home, however, recommendations against non-essential travel, and for voluntary self
isolation and social distancing are insufficient. Due to the currently low number of reported cases, many
Alaskans have not embraced the need for more stringent measures and are continuing to move around the
state without regard for their potential to be affected or to be a carrier.
This disregard has consequences which we have seen borne out in other regions. The death toll is
rising in New York, medical systems are near collapse in Italy and our citizens continue to interact with
large numbers of people for non-urgent causes leading to community spread of COVID19. Alaska’s
relative isolation will make a travel ban particularly effective. Our medical resources are finite and we
are potentially a week away from New York and 2-3 weeks from Italy.
Experiences in other locales suggest that a government mandated travel ban and stay in place
order is the only way to keep Alaska from becoming overwhelmed with critically ill patients. We
physicians have done everything we can to prepare and educate our families and patients. The next step
can only be done through your exercise of executive power. Alaska needs a shelter in place order and a
mandated travel ban which are enforced. The time to act is now. The Executive Director of the World
Health Organization, Dr. Michael Ryan, arguably the most knowledgeable and experienced individual in
the world with respect to managing pandemics has emphasized: “speed trumps perfection,” “we need to
stop the chain of transmission...be fast...(and) the greatest error is not to move.” Trust experienced health
providers.

 We implore you to take immediate action so that our hospitals and health care providers will not
be overwhelmed when the inevitable wave of new cases arrives. Acting today will likely save Alaskan
lives. We and all Alaskans depend on your prompt leadership on this matter.
With grave and urgent concern,
Collective Physicians of Alaska:
1. Sami Ali, MD FACEP, on behalf of the 45 Emergency Medicine
Physicians at Providence Alaska Medical Center
2. Jessica Arasmith, MD, Pediatric Hospitalist, Anchorage, AK
3. April Arseneau, MD Valley Allergy and Asthma Clinic, Palmer,
AK
4. Kellie L. Arviso MD, Anesthesiology, Anchorage, AK
5. Muhammad Ashraf, MD, Anesthesiology, Anchorage, AK
6. Andrea Bateman, MD, LaTouche Pediatric, Anchorage, AK
7. Tim Bateman, MD, Internal Medicine, President of The Alaska
Hospitalist Group
8. Susan Beesley MD, Pediatrics, Anchorage, AK
9. Toni Biskup, MD, MPH, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics,
Hospitalist, Anchorage, AK
10. Teresa Bormann MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage AK
11. Gina Brown, MD Dermatology, Anchorage, AK
12. Jaime Butler, MD, Emergency Medicine, Providence Alaska
Medical Center
13. Tonya Caylor, MD FAAFP, Anchorage, AK
14. Stephanie Chen, MD, Psychiatry, Anchorage, AK
15. Ellen Chirichella, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Anchorage, AK
16. Dorothy Chyung, MD, Psychiatry, Anchorage, AK
17. Allison Critchlow DO, Family Medicine, Southcentral
Foundation
18. Lindsay Cobb, MD, Chief of Staff, PAMC, Anesthesiology,
Anchorage, AK
19. Sarah Doaty, MD, Rheumatology, Anchorage, AK
20. Kristin Eastman, MD, Dermatology, Soldotna, AK
21. E. Peek Ehlinger MD, Family Medicine, Bethel, AK
22. Jodi Elliott, DO, Pediatrics, Anchorage, AK
23. Dana Espindola, MD, OBGYN, Anchorage, AK
24. Cydney Fenton, MD, Pediatric Endocrinologist, Anchorage, AK
25. David A Fredenberg, MD, General Surgery, Anchorage, AK
26. Paul Forward MD, Family Medicine, ANTHC Rural Provider
Network
27. Elizabeth Galloway MD Pediatric Critical Care Anchorage, AK
28. Marin Granholm, MD, Hospice Physician, Anchorage, AK

 29. Monica Gaupp, MD, Pediatrics, Eagle River, AK
30. Tania Hall, MD, Obstetrics-Gynecology, Anchorage, AK
31. Elizabeth Hankinson, MD, Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Medicine
32. Melissa Hardesty, MD MPH, Gynecologic Oncology,
Anchorage, AK
33. Hannah Hawkins, MD Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
34. Susan Hayner MD, Hospitalist, Anchorage, AK
35. John Heimerl, MD, Pediatrics, Anchorage, AK
36. Emily Hogeland, MD, Pediatric Hospitalist, Anchorage, AK
37. Sarah Holsopple, MD, Pediatric Hospitalist, Anchorage, AK
38. Kimberly Houghton, MD, Gastroenterology, Anchorage, AK
39. Lindsay Huckabee, DO, Pediatrics, Eagle River, AK
40. Peter Hulman, MD, Nephrology, Anchorage, AK
41. Melissa McCall, Anesthesiology, Anchorage, AK
42. Mariam Imnadze Miller, MD, Urologic Oncology, Anchorage,
AK
43. Kristina James, MD. Allergy/Immunology. Peninsula Allergy &
Asthma Center, Soldotna, AK
44. Heather Jones MD, Family Medicine, Eagle River, AK
45. Laura Jones MD, Pediatrics, Anchorage, AK
46. Sargam Kapoor, MD Hematology Oncology, Anchorage, AK
47. Allison Kelliher, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
48. Marc J Kornmesser, MD, Orthopedic Surgery, Anchorage, AK
49. Valerie Krozel, MD. Family Medicine/Obstetrics, Wasilla, AK
50. Georgia Kubic, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
51. Erin Lester, MD, Family Medicine, Medical Director Girdwood
Health
52. Jenny Lessner MD Family Medicine, Fairbanks AK Clinic
53. Sarah Murphy, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
54. Anthony Larson, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
55. Meghan Lindstrom, MD, Emergency Medicine, Palmer, AK
56. Lisa Lindquist, MD, Psychiatry, Anchorage, AK
57. Stacey Logan, MD, Pediatrics, Anchorage, AK
58. Shanda Lohse, MD, Family Medicine, Medical Director, Eastern
Aleutian Tribes
59. Ashley Lundgren Strum MD Internal Medicine
60. Christina Magill MD, FACS, Otolaryngology, Head and Neck
Surgery, Anchorage, AK
61. Heath McAnally, MD, MSPH, Anesthesiology and Pain
Medicine, Eagle River, AK
62. Laura Merriman, MD, Urology, Anchorage, AK
63. Janine Miller, Dermatology, Anchorage, AK

 64. Triin Minton, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
65. Laurie Montano, MD, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics,
Anchorage, AK
66. Corinna Muller, DO, OB/GYN, Maternal-Fetal Medicine,
Anchorage AK
67. Victoria Murdock, MD, General Surgery, Anchorage, AK
68. Rick Navitsky, MD, Emergency Medicine, Anchorage, AK
69. Holly Novack MD, Anesthesiology, Anchorage AK
70. Michelle O’Fallon, MD, Internal Medicine, Anchorage, AK
71. Kaia Pearson, MD, Family Medicine, Bethel AK
72. Tiffany Peterson, MD. Emergency Medicine, Anchorage, AK
73. Elizabeth S. Pietralczyk MD, Family Medicine/Obstetrician,
Eagle River, AK
74. Tasha Powell, MD, Neurologist, ANMC, Anchorage AK
75. Charles Procknow, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
76. Tom Quimby, MD, Emergency Medicine, Palmer, AK
77. Lisa Rabinowitz, MD Emergency Medicine PAMC
78. MacKenzie Rappp, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
79. Melinda Rathkopf, MD, Allergy and Immunology, Anchorage,
Wasilla, Ketchikan
80. Anna Reese, MD, Hospitalist, Soldotna, AK
81. Megan Ritter, MD, Pathologist, Anchorage, AK
82. Sarah Roberts MD, Family Medicine, Homer, AK
83. Elisa Rosier, MD. Pediatrics, Ketchikan, AK
84. Erin Royal, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
85. Katy Ryan, DO, Family Medicine, Independence Park,
Anchorage, AK
86. Rachel Samuelson, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
87. Marilyn Sandford MD, General Surgery subspecialty Breast
Surgery, Anchorage AK
88. Pebbles Shanley MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
89. Ashley Shaw, DO, Internal Medicine, Anchorage, AK
90. Dorothy Shearn, MD, Hospitalist, Anchorage, AK
91. Juliana Shields, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
92. Alisha Skinner, MD, Hospitalist, Anchorage, AK
93. Tracy Slager, DO, Family Medicine/Obstetrics, Palmer, AK
94. Kathy Stepien MD, Pediatrics, Juneau, AK
95. Phillip B. Storm, MD, Urology, Anchorage, AK
96. Kristen Solana Walkinshaw, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage
97. Jess Sotelo MD, Emergency Medicine, Anchorage, AK
98. Mēgan LeMasters Soulé, MD, Family Medicine/Obestrtrics,
Anchorage, AK
99. Elysia Spencer, MD, Urology, Anchorage, AK

 100.
Julie Stewart MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
101.
Sundrayah Stoller, MD, Anesthesiology, Anchorage, AK
102.
Rebecca Taylor, DO Family Medicine, Fairbanks, AK
103.
The Alaska Hospitalist Group, LLC, by board approval on
behalf of 77 Physicians
104.
Kim Thomas, MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK
105.
Mark Thorndike, MD FACS, General Surgery, Anchorage,
AK
106.
Joshua Tokita, MD, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck
Surgery, Anchorage, AK
107.
Therese Tomasoski, MD, Pediatrics, Wasilla, AK
108.
Tina Tomsen, MD, Gynecology, Anchorage, AK
109.
Mary Totten, MD, Otolaryngology, Anchorage, AK
110.
Ailinh Tran, MD, Internal Medicine Hospitalist, Anchorage,
AK
111.
Sarah Troxel MD, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery,
Anchorage, AK
112.
Jean Tsigonis, MD, MPH, Family Medicine, Fairbanks, AK
113.
Christy Tuomi DO, Family Medicine, Homer, AK
114.
Natalie Ward, MD, OBGYN, Anchorage, AK
115.
Shannon Wiegand, MD - Family Medicine CAIHC,
Fairbanks, AK
116.
Gina Wilson-Ramirez, MD, MPH, MA, Emergency
Medicine, Providence Alaska Medical Center
117.
Allison van Haastert, MD, OB/GYN, Anchorage, AK
118.
Ryan Webb, MD, Internal Medicine, Anchorage, AK
119.
Laurie Zimmer MD, Family Medicine, Anchorage, AK