Monday, June 29, 2020
As COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket, Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered the closing of bars, gyms, movie theaters, water parks and river tubing activities for at least one month.
Ducey also said Arizona would delay the start of the school year to Aug. 17.
Ducey warned that Arizonans will see more cases of COVID-19 before the numbers begin to decrease.
“Our expectation is, our numbers will be worse,” said Ducey, who repeated his call for Arizonans to mask up when in public, stay home as much as possible, wash their hands and keep a physical distance from others.
The Department of Health will also activate its “crisis standards of care” and cancel non-emergency surgeries.
Ducey's new moves come as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 74,000 threshold as of Monday, June 29, after the state reported 625 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
That said, Arizona Department of Health Services tweeted earlier this morning that not all new cases are reflected in this total, and that a higher number is to be expected tomorrow because of this.
Pima County had seen 7,568 of the state's 74,533 confirmed cases.
Cases in Arizona have more than tripled since June 1, when the state had 20,123 confirmed cases.
A total of 1,588 people have died after contracting the virus, including 268 in Pima County.
Maricopa County has more than half the state's cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 45,178.
This morning's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, 2,721 Arizonans were hospitalized, more than double the 1,009 hospitalized on June 1.
A total of 992 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 28. Previous to June, the number of people seeking help in emergency rooms never topped 667.
A total of 679 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds yesterday.
More details to come.
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has warned states not to use COVID-19 testing supplies it bought under a $10.2 million contract after a ProPublica investigation last week showed the vendor was providing contaminated and unusable mini soda bottles.
A FEMA spokeswoman said the agency is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to analyze test tubes filled with saline and sold to the government by Fillakit LLC, whose warehouse is near Houston.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we recommend this media not be used at this time,” spokeswoman Alex Bruner said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has warned states not to use COVID-19 testing supplies it bought under a $10.2 million contract after a ProPublica investigation last week showed the vendor was providing contaminated and unusable mini soda bottles.
A FEMA spokeswoman said the agency is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to analyze test tubes filled with saline and sold to the government by Fillakit LLC, whose warehouse is near Houston.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we recommend this media not be used at this time,” spokeswoman Alex Bruner said.
PHOENIX – Several Scottsdale bars and restaurants labeled “bad actors” by Gov. Doug Ducey have shut down temporarily, and they’re pushing back on his allegations that they disregarded safety protocols meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Ducey labeled eight Scottsdale establishments “bad actors” at a news conference Thursday. The admonishment came after city authorities and the state Department of Liquor Licenses and Control filed charges on Tuesday against Riot House, El Hefe, Bottled Blonde, International, Pattie’s, Casa Amigos, Hi-Fi and Maya Day and Night Club.
A spokeswoman for Riot Hospitality Group, which manages El Hefe and Riot House, pushed back on the characterization as bad actors. On Thursday, both clubs closed temporarily.
“Before the state reopened, we went through exhaustive efforts, actually going above and beyond the CDC guidelines and what was recommended to us by our licensing authorities,” Lissa Druss of Riot Hospitality Group said in an interview with Cronkite News.
Ducey labeled eight Scottsdale establishments “bad actors” at a news conference Thursday. The admonishment came after city authorities and the state Department of Liquor Licenses and Control filed charges on Tuesday against Riot House, El Hefe, Bottled Blonde, International, Pattie’s, Casa Amigos, Hi-Fi and Maya Day and Night Club.
A spokeswoman for Riot Hospitality Group, which manages El Hefe and Riot House, pushed back on the characterization as bad actors. On Thursday, both clubs closed temporarily.
“Before the state reopened, we went through exhaustive efforts, actually going above and beyond the CDC guidelines and what was recommended to us by our licensing authorities,” Lissa Druss of Riot Hospitality Group said in an interview with Cronkite News.
PHOENIX – Changes in lifestyle associated with COVID-19 have heightened concerns among health professionals about anorexia, bulimia, binge-eating and other eating disorders.
But one demographic is drawing particular attention: Black women, who have long been overlooked in this specialized area of treatment.
“We’re underserved. We’re poorly served. We’re served through bias and ignorance,” said Shelby Gordon, a Health at Every Size-trained coach dedicated to helping Black women with eating disorders better advocate for themselves with medical providers.
“The real issues – the real medical and mental issues that we are trying to work through – are not looked at,” Gordon said, “because all they can see is the number on the scale.”
The recent deaths of George Floyd and other Black men and women at the hands of police have sparked outrage nationwide, but they’re also fueling new calls for equity in criminal justice, the news media, entertainment, technology, health care and other industries.
Gordon said white health care providers have reached out to her to acknowledge the lack of Black providers specializing in eating disorders and to question whether their approach to treatment has been appropriate.
But one demographic is drawing particular attention: Black women, who have long been overlooked in this specialized area of treatment.
“We’re underserved. We’re poorly served. We’re served through bias and ignorance,” said Shelby Gordon, a Health at Every Size-trained coach dedicated to helping Black women with eating disorders better advocate for themselves with medical providers.
“The real issues – the real medical and mental issues that we are trying to work through – are not looked at,” Gordon said, “because all they can see is the number on the scale.”
The recent deaths of George Floyd and other Black men and women at the hands of police have sparked outrage nationwide, but they’re also fueling new calls for equity in criminal justice, the news media, entertainment, technology, health care and other industries.
Gordon said white health care providers have reached out to her to acknowledge the lack of Black providers specializing in eating disorders and to question whether their approach to treatment has been appropriate.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 74,000 threshold as of Monday, June 29, after the state reported 625 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
That said, Arizona Department of Health Services tweeted earlier this morning that not all new cases are reflected in this total, and that a higher number is to be expected tomorrow because of this.
Pima County had seen 7,568 of the state's 74,533 confirmed cases.
Cases in Arizona have more than tripled since June 1, when the state had 20,123 confirmed cases.
A total of 1,588 people have died after contracting the virus, including 268 in Pima County.
Maricopa County has more than half the state's cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 45,178.
This morning's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, 2,721 Arizonans were hospitalized, more than double the 1,009 hospitalized on June 1.
992 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 28. Previous to June, the number of people seeking help in emergency rooms never topped 667.
A total of 679 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds yesterday.
If you're out in public in Pima County, you're now expected to wear masks or face coverings if you're older than 5. The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 along party lines to require face masks on Friday, June 19. Likewise, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero issued a proclamation last week that requires face masks and includes a $50 penalty for those who don't mask up, although she said authorities would first try to educate those who don't wear masks and would resort to fines only for report offenders. There are exceptions for those who can't wear a mask for medical reasons.
Banner Health Chief Clinical Officer Marjorie Bessel announced over the weekend that the hospital network, which treats about half of Arizona's hospitalized COVID patients, was reaching its limit as it activated its surge plan and balanced its load of patients among its facilities. Banner is calling in additional health care workers from around the country.
"We are absolutely experiencing a surge of COVID-19 patients that are coming in for care, and we are starting to get full," she said. "We do have plans, however, to continue to increase our capacity so that we can meet the demand of the communities and all the people that we serve in there. But we do ask everybody to follow all the things that we can do to try and reduce the curve of spread."
In a press conference last week, Ducey warned the worst days of the outbreak still lay ahead.
“I don’t want there to be any illusion or sugar-coated expectations," Ducey said. "We expect that our numbers will be worse next week and the week following in terms of cases and hospitalizations."
Ducey noted the greatest growth was among people ages 20 to 44, who generally do not face the worst symptoms of the disease but are capable of transmitting it to parents, grandparents, and others who do.
That said, Arizona Department of Health Services tweeted earlier this morning that not all new cases are reflected in this total, and that a higher number is to be expected tomorrow because of this.
Pima County had seen 7,568 of the state's 74,533 confirmed cases.
Cases in Arizona have more than tripled since June 1, when the state had 20,123 confirmed cases.
A total of 1,588 people have died after contracting the virus, including 268 in Pima County.
Maricopa County has more than half the state's cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 45,178.
This morning's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, 2,721 Arizonans were hospitalized, more than double the 1,009 hospitalized on June 1.
992 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 28. Previous to June, the number of people seeking help in emergency rooms never topped 667.
A total of 679 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds yesterday.
If you're out in public in Pima County, you're now expected to wear masks or face coverings if you're older than 5. The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 along party lines to require face masks on Friday, June 19. Likewise, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero issued a proclamation last week that requires face masks and includes a $50 penalty for those who don't mask up, although she said authorities would first try to educate those who don't wear masks and would resort to fines only for report offenders. There are exceptions for those who can't wear a mask for medical reasons.
Banner Health Chief Clinical Officer Marjorie Bessel announced over the weekend that the hospital network, which treats about half of Arizona's hospitalized COVID patients, was reaching its limit as it activated its surge plan and balanced its load of patients among its facilities. Banner is calling in additional health care workers from around the country.
"We are absolutely experiencing a surge of COVID-19 patients that are coming in for care, and we are starting to get full," she said. "We do have plans, however, to continue to increase our capacity so that we can meet the demand of the communities and all the people that we serve in there. But we do ask everybody to follow all the things that we can do to try and reduce the curve of spread."
In a press conference last week, Ducey warned the worst days of the outbreak still lay ahead.
“I don’t want there to be any illusion or sugar-coated expectations," Ducey said. "We expect that our numbers will be worse next week and the week following in terms of cases and hospitalizations."
Ducey noted the greatest growth was among people ages 20 to 44, who generally do not face the worst symptoms of the disease but are capable of transmitting it to parents, grandparents, and others who do.
Friday, June 26, 2020
ICYMI, here are the stories we covered today.
- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 66,000 threshold as of Friday, June 26, after the state reported 3,428 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
- What’s essential in a pandemic? Pretty much everything, if you read the tariff appeals of companies that import goods from China.
- A company created by a former Pentagon official who describes himself as a White House volunteer for Vice President Mike Pence won a $2.4 million dollar contract in May — its first federal award — to supply the Bureau of Prisons with surgical gowns.
- In Part 1 of this series, Cronkite News explored the impact cattle have had on the Verde River. For the final installment, Cronkite News looks at the health of the San Pedro, one of the few undammed rivers in the Southwest.
- President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have repeatedly attributed the increase in the coronavirus case count in the United States to an increase in testing.
- According to the president and CEO of TMC Healthcare, Judy Rich, one of the most important things healthcare workers (and anyone else) can do to improve public health is to become more civically engaged.
- Arizona lawmakers split on party lines Thursday as the House passed a Democrat-backed police reform bill on the one-month anniversary of George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.
- Just as the Trump administration was asking the Supreme Court to toss out Obamacare, Politifact was out yesterday with a new assessment of appointed Sen. Martha McSally's claim in a recent ad that she "will always protect people with preexisting conditions. Always."
- Imagine, if you will, an international farmers market you would likely see in Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles—but located in downtown.
No, President Trump, Testing Is Not Causing Case Counts to Rise. The Virus Is Just Spreading Faster.
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have repeatedly attributed the increase in the coronavirus case count in the United States to an increase in testing.
“We’re doing so much testing, so much more than any other country,” Trump said in an interview with CBN News on Monday. “And to be honest with you, when you do more testing, you find more cases. And then they report our cases are through the roof.”
“I would just encourage you all, as we talk about these things, to make sure and continue to explain to your citizens the magnitude of increase in testing,” Pence said on a call with the nation’s governors last week, according to audio obtained by The New York Times. “And that in most of the cases where we are seeing some marginal rise in number, that’s more a result of the extraordinary work you’re doing.”
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have repeatedly attributed the increase in the coronavirus case count in the United States to an increase in testing.
“We’re doing so much testing, so much more than any other country,” Trump said in an interview with CBN News on Monday. “And to be honest with you, when you do more testing, you find more cases. And then they report our cases are through the roof.”
“I would just encourage you all, as we talk about these things, to make sure and continue to explain to your citizens the magnitude of increase in testing,” Pence said on a call with the nation’s governors last week, according to audio obtained by The New York Times. “And that in most of the cases where we are seeing some marginal rise in number, that’s more a result of the extraordinary work you’re doing.”
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
A company created by a former Pentagon official who describes himself as a White House volunteer for Vice President Mike Pence won a $2.4 million dollar contract in May — its first federal award — to supply the Bureau of Prisons with surgical gowns.
Mathew J. Konkler, who worked in the Department of Defense during the George W. Bush administration, formed BlackPoint Distribution Company LLC in August 2019 in Indiana, state records show, but had won no federal work until May 26. The Bureau of Prisons chose the company with limited competition for a contract to supply surgical gowns to its facilities.
It is at least the second contract awarded to a company formed by an individual who had worked in or volunteered for the Trump administration; a company formed by Zach Fuentes, a former White House deputy chief of staff, won a $3 million contract just days after forming to supply face masks to the Indian Health Service. The masks did not meet FDA standards for use in health care settings, and an IHS spokesman said this week that the agency is trying to return the masks to Fuentes. Members of Congress called for investigations into the contract, and the Government Accountability Office now plans to review the deal “in the coming few months, as staff become available,” spokesman Charles Young said last week.
A company created by a former Pentagon official who describes himself as a White House volunteer for Vice President Mike Pence won a $2.4 million dollar contract in May — its first federal award — to supply the Bureau of Prisons with surgical gowns.
Mathew J. Konkler, who worked in the Department of Defense during the George W. Bush administration, formed BlackPoint Distribution Company LLC in August 2019 in Indiana, state records show, but had won no federal work until May 26. The Bureau of Prisons chose the company with limited competition for a contract to supply surgical gowns to its facilities.
It is at least the second contract awarded to a company formed by an individual who had worked in or volunteered for the Trump administration; a company formed by Zach Fuentes, a former White House deputy chief of staff, won a $3 million contract just days after forming to supply face masks to the Indian Health Service. The masks did not meet FDA standards for use in health care settings, and an IHS spokesman said this week that the agency is trying to return the masks to Fuentes. Members of Congress called for investigations into the contract, and the Government Accountability Office now plans to review the deal “in the coming few months, as staff become available,” spokesman Charles Young said last week.
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Click here to read their biggest stories as soon as they’re published.
What’s essential in a pandemic? Pretty much everything, if you read the tariff appeals of companies that import goods from China.
Canned tuna, which an importer argues is a perfect food to stock up on during infrequent grocery trips. Dietary supplements like ginkgo biloba, needed to bolster immune systems. Fitness machines, now essential equipment for home workouts.
More than 900 businesses, trade associations and individuals have filed comments with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative seeking relief from steep tariffs now in place for imports from China. The special comment period has been running throughout the coronavirus crisis and ends Thursday.
Plenty of the filers made their appeals based on medical reasons — hand sanitizers, surgical gloves and syringes that are critical to the public health crisis — but others took a more expansive view to convince the agency that their products are essential to the country’s well-being.
Skechers USA asked for an exemption for its Wascana-Athas tactical boots, describing them as ideal for first responders and law enforcement personnel. The Fragrance Creators Association requested exemptions for essential oils and other aromatic compounds, making the case that some are used in disinfectants (although they are also widely used in cosmetics and perfumes).
The duties are known as Section 301 tariffs, after the provision of the 1974 Trade Act that justifies them in retaliation for unfair trade practices. At the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak in late February, levies of 7.5% to 25% remained in place on about $330 billion worth of Chinese imports, including critically needed personal protective equipment.
What’s essential in a pandemic? Pretty much everything, if you read the tariff appeals of companies that import goods from China.
Canned tuna, which an importer argues is a perfect food to stock up on during infrequent grocery trips. Dietary supplements like ginkgo biloba, needed to bolster immune systems. Fitness machines, now essential equipment for home workouts.
More than 900 businesses, trade associations and individuals have filed comments with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative seeking relief from steep tariffs now in place for imports from China. The special comment period has been running throughout the coronavirus crisis and ends Thursday.
Plenty of the filers made their appeals based on medical reasons — hand sanitizers, surgical gloves and syringes that are critical to the public health crisis — but others took a more expansive view to convince the agency that their products are essential to the country’s well-being.
Skechers USA asked for an exemption for its Wascana-Athas tactical boots, describing them as ideal for first responders and law enforcement personnel. The Fragrance Creators Association requested exemptions for essential oils and other aromatic compounds, making the case that some are used in disinfectants (although they are also widely used in cosmetics and perfumes).
The duties are known as Section 301 tariffs, after the provision of the 1974 Trade Act that justifies them in retaliation for unfair trade practices. At the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak in late February, levies of 7.5% to 25% remained in place on about $330 billion worth of Chinese imports, including critically needed personal protective equipment.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona crossed the 66,000 threshold as of Friday, June 26, after the state reported 3,428 new cases this morning, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
Pima County had seen 6,836 of the state's 66,458 confirmed cases.
Cases in Arizona have more than tripled since June 1, when the state had 20,123 confirmed cases.
A total of 1,535 people have died after contracting the virus, including 266 in Pima County.
Maricopa County has more than half the state's cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 39,626.
Arizona hospitals saw a drop of several hundred patients with COVID-19 symptoms yesterday , as well as more people visiting emergency rooms. This morning's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, 2,110 Arizonans were hospitalized, more than double the 1,009 hospitalized on June 1 but 343 fewer than Wednesday, June 24.
A record number of 1,249 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 25. Previous to June, the number of people seeking help in emergency rooms never topped 667.
A total of 581 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds yesterday, a drop of 30 from the previous day.
If you're out in public in Pima County, you're now expected to wear masks or face coverings if you're older than 5. The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 along party lines to require face masks on Friday, June 19. Likewise, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero issued a proclamation last week that requires face masks and includes a $50 penalty for those who don't mask up, although she said authorities would first try to educate those who don't wear masks and would resort to fines only for report offenders. There are exceptions for those who can't wear a mask for medical reasons.
In his weekly press conference yesterday, Ducey acknowledged that hospitals could soon have to activate their surge plans in order to accommodate the growing number of COVID-19 patients. He noted the greatest growth was among people ages 20 to 44, who generally do not face the worst symptoms of the disease but are capable to transmitting it to parents, grandparents and other elders who do.
“COVID-19 is widespread in Arizona,” Ducey said. “It’s in all 15 of our counties. It’s growing, and it’s growing fast across all age groups and demographics. Anyone can get this virus, and anyone can spread this virus.”
Ducey, who allowed bars and nightclubs to open alongside restaurants in mid-May as long as they had some kind of food services (which could be as minor as a bag of chips behind the bar), said that authorities would begin cracking down on establishments that did not enforce physical distancing recommendations.
Pima County had seen 6,836 of the state's 66,458 confirmed cases.
Cases in Arizona have more than tripled since June 1, when the state had 20,123 confirmed cases.
A total of 1,535 people have died after contracting the virus, including 266 in Pima County.
Maricopa County has more than half the state's cases, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases hitting 39,626.
Arizona hospitals saw a drop of several hundred patients with COVID-19 symptoms yesterday , as well as more people visiting emergency rooms. This morning's Arizona Department of Health Services report shows that as of yesterday, 2,110 Arizonans were hospitalized, more than double the 1,009 hospitalized on June 1 but 343 fewer than Wednesday, June 24.
A record number of 1,249 people arrived at emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on June 25. Previous to June, the number of people seeking help in emergency rooms never topped 667.
A total of 581 COVID-19 patients were in ICU beds yesterday, a drop of 30 from the previous day.
If you're out in public in Pima County, you're now expected to wear masks or face coverings if you're older than 5. The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 along party lines to require face masks on Friday, June 19. Likewise, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero issued a proclamation last week that requires face masks and includes a $50 penalty for those who don't mask up, although she said authorities would first try to educate those who don't wear masks and would resort to fines only for report offenders. There are exceptions for those who can't wear a mask for medical reasons.
In his weekly press conference yesterday, Ducey acknowledged that hospitals could soon have to activate their surge plans in order to accommodate the growing number of COVID-19 patients. He noted the greatest growth was among people ages 20 to 44, who generally do not face the worst symptoms of the disease but are capable to transmitting it to parents, grandparents and other elders who do.
“COVID-19 is widespread in Arizona,” Ducey said. “It’s in all 15 of our counties. It’s growing, and it’s growing fast across all age groups and demographics. Anyone can get this virus, and anyone can spread this virus.”
Ducey, who allowed bars and nightclubs to open alongside restaurants in mid-May as long as they had some kind of food services (which could be as minor as a bag of chips behind the bar), said that authorities would begin cracking down on establishments that did not enforce physical distancing recommendations.
