Print article For the third time since March, Anchorage has closed bars and restaurants for indoor service. And for the third time, daily COVID-19 case numbers have dropped. “The big question is what’s driving that, and have these emergency orders, in particular in Anchorage, have they made a difference?” said Dr. Tom Hennessy, University of Alaska Anchorage epidemiologist. Case numbers in Anchorage soared in November, leading to Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson’s consideration of business closures that she ultimately enacted for the month of December. But the decision elicited an outcry from vocal detractors, especially in the hospitality industry, who said the move was too heavy-handed.