Thursday, May 14, 2020
Starting on Friday, May 15, CVS Health will be operating three new drive-thru testing sites in the Tucson area as part of a nationwide response to COVID-19. The locations are at 3832 East Speedway, 8920 East Tanque Verde Road and 10650 North Oracle Road in Oro Valley.
These new sites will utilize self-swab tests as part of CVS' nationwide COVID-19 testing program. CVS expects to have up to 1,000 locations across the country offering this service by the end of May, with the goal of processing up to 1.5 million tests per month.
Self-swab tests will be available to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to age guidelines. Patients must register in advance at CVS.com beginning Friday, May 15 to schedule an appointment.
Patients will be required to stay in their cars and will be directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window where they will be provided with a test kit and given instructions. A CVS employee will observe the self-swab process to ensure it is done properly. Tests will be sent to third-party labs for processing and the results will be available in approximately three days. Testing will not take place inside any retail locations.
These three new Tucson locations are part of 10 new locations across Arizona.
Patients will be required to stay in their cars and will be directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window where they will be provided with a test kit and given instructions. A CVS employee will observe the self-swab process to ensure it is done properly. Tests will be sent to third-party labs for processing and the results will be available in approximately three days. Testing will not take place inside any retail locations.
Tags: covid19 , testing , coronavirus , cvs , arizona , Image
Casa Video and Film Bar is open for business for the first time since quarantine measures closed all non-essential businesses in Tucson in late March. If you're still spending most of your time hunkering down at home, Casa is a great local resource, and they're implementing some new measures to sweeten the deal: their regular seven-day rentals are now 14-day rentals. One-day rentals are still one-day, but they've upped the rental limit from 10 to 20.
Their film bar is again offering growler and crowler fills. But much like before the temporary closure, they are operating like a liquor store. So customers cannot yet drink at the bar, but can purchase bottled/canned beer and wine to go.
For more information, visit casavideo.com
Their film bar is again offering growler and crowler fills. But much like before the temporary closure, they are operating like a liquor store. So customers cannot yet drink at the bar, but can purchase bottled/canned beer and wine to go.
All Casa video staff are wearing face masks and they encourage customers to do so as well. They also encourage customers to use their curbside pickup by browsing their inventory online and calling ahead with a list of movies to rent. Snacks and beverages for movies can also be ordered via curbside pickup.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 12,674 of Thursday, May 14, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
‹
Pima County had 1,696 confirmed cases.
The coronavirus had killed 624 people statewide, including 152 in Pima County, according to the report.
In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had risen to 6,341.
Because symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced this week that he would not extend Arizona’s stay-at-home order past Friday, May 15. He also said that gyms, pools and movie theaters could open this week.
Ducey also invited major-league sports to play in Arizona, although he said it would have to be without fans in the audience.
Ducey had already given the green light for restaurants and bars that offer food service to reopen this week. Restrictions were lifted on stores, barber shops and salons last week.
Ducey said he hoped that schools would be able to reopen in the fall but was yet not ready to make that call.
Dr. Bob England, the director of the Pima County Health Department, said the reopening of bars this week "wasn't people's general understanding" given that Ducey had said in an April press conference that bars would remain shuttered longer than restaurants because people tend to mingle in bars. England said expected to see "a lot of variation out there."
"It's going to be a little bit like the Wild West," England warned. "Just know that if you're vulnerable, if you're older, if you have underlying health conditions that put you at higher risk, then please, please, please hunker down for a while longer."
England said last week that the results of reopening so many establishments wouldn’t be known for weeks as test results tend to lag behind the actual spread of the virus.
“It will take a few weeks to know the impact of this so we won’t know until early June what all of this is doing to the epidemic curve,” England said in a daily briefing.
Other members of the medical community said Ducey’s move may have come soon and will result in greater spread of the virus. State Rep. Randy Friese, an emergency room doctor, warned last week that by relaxing so many standards so quickly, Ducey was risking losing all the progress that state has made in stemming the disease.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the Trump administration, told the U.S. Senate in testimony this week that states and cities should follow the guidelines set out by the CDC when allowing businesses to reopen.
“It’s my concern that if some areas—cities, states, what have you—jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up without having the capability to respond effectively and efficiently, my concern is that we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks,” Fauci said. “The consequences could be really serious.”
In other COVID-related news:
• The Pima County Board of Supervisors yesterday 3-2 voted to enact emergency health regulations related to the “best practices” strategies developed by the county’s Back To Business Task Force. Republican Supervisors Steve Christy and Ally Miller voted against the regulations, which include taking the temperature of all workers and anyone making deliveries to restaurants. Christy said the regulations were too burdensome for a sector that has already been hammered by the outbreak's fallout.
• Pima County Public Libraries will reopen on Monday, May 18, with limited services, including book pickup, computer use on a first-come, first-served basis, and printing, copying and fax services. The new open hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will still be precautions for coronavirus, including taking guests' temperatures before they enter the building, wearing face masks and maintaining six feet of physical distance. The library will also allow only a limited number of people in at a time, and guests will most likely have to wait in line to get in.
• Today, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base’s 355th Wing, alongside the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, are taking off from Tucson International Airport at 2 p.m. in a flyover across the metro area in a salute to healthcare workers. A formation of two A-10 Thunderbolts IIs and two F-16 Fighting Falcons will begin the flyover at 2 p.m. The 40-minute flight will pass by healthcare facilities in Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Oro Valley, and Marana.
• The Arizona Supreme Court has denied an effort by initiative campaigns to collect online signatures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is disappointing in Arizona to see the courts and the attorney general and legislature repeatedly prevent the options of choice to voters where their options are to forgo their constitutional rights or to risk their health and safety," said Roopali Desai, the lawyer representing the initiative campaigns. "It's really unfortunate the court did not grant the relief under such extreme circumstances. It's not only disappointing but it's incredibly dishearting."
Initiative campaigns such as Smart and Safe Arizona, Save our Schools Arizona, Invest In Education and Arizonans for Second Chances filed a Petition for Special Attention with the Arizona Supreme Court on April 2. The groups wanted to utilize the state's E-Qual electronic signature system in an attempt to help initiatives continue collecting signatures during the pandemic. But lawyers for the state argued that the Arizona Constitution requires that petition passers personally witness every voter's signature.
• COVID-19 symptoms typically occur two to 14 days after exposure, and include headache, fever, cough, shortness of breath, blue toes or a loss of taste and smell, according to the CDC. However, some cases of the virus are entirely asymptomatic. Practices to avoid infection include social distancing (of at least six feet), washing your hands, avoiding unnecessary trips and not touching your face. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, speak with a healthcare provider for medical advice.
According to the CDC, people who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to recover at home. Stay at home and avoid public transportation, but stay in touch with your doctor. If you do leave your home, wear a facemask and clean your hands often. If you develop more severe symptoms (persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, bluish lips) get medical attention immediately. Your local health authorities will give instructions on checking your symptoms and reporting information.
Have you caught COVID-19? Are you feeling ill? Is your small business struggling to make it? Have you lost your job as a result of the outbreak? Are you struggling to manage your kids while schools are closed? Tell us your COVID-19 stories. Send an email or photo to [email protected].
‹
Pima County had 1,696 confirmed cases.
The coronavirus had killed 624 people statewide, including 152 in Pima County, according to the report.
In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had risen to 6,341.
Because symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced this week that he would not extend Arizona’s stay-at-home order past Friday, May 15. He also said that gyms, pools and movie theaters could open this week.
Ducey also invited major-league sports to play in Arizona, although he said it would have to be without fans in the audience.
Ducey had already given the green light for restaurants and bars that offer food service to reopen this week. Restrictions were lifted on stores, barber shops and salons last week.
Ducey said he hoped that schools would be able to reopen in the fall but was yet not ready to make that call.
Dr. Bob England, the director of the Pima County Health Department, said the reopening of bars this week "wasn't people's general understanding" given that Ducey had said in an April press conference that bars would remain shuttered longer than restaurants because people tend to mingle in bars. England said expected to see "a lot of variation out there."
"It's going to be a little bit like the Wild West," England warned. "Just know that if you're vulnerable, if you're older, if you have underlying health conditions that put you at higher risk, then please, please, please hunker down for a while longer."
England said last week that the results of reopening so many establishments wouldn’t be known for weeks as test results tend to lag behind the actual spread of the virus.
“It will take a few weeks to know the impact of this so we won’t know until early June what all of this is doing to the epidemic curve,” England said in a daily briefing.
Other members of the medical community said Ducey’s move may have come soon and will result in greater spread of the virus. State Rep. Randy Friese, an emergency room doctor, warned last week that by relaxing so many standards so quickly, Ducey was risking losing all the progress that state has made in stemming the disease.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the Trump administration, told the U.S. Senate in testimony this week that states and cities should follow the guidelines set out by the CDC when allowing businesses to reopen.
“It’s my concern that if some areas—cities, states, what have you—jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up without having the capability to respond effectively and efficiently, my concern is that we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks,” Fauci said. “The consequences could be really serious.”
In other COVID-related news:
• The Pima County Board of Supervisors yesterday 3-2 voted to enact emergency health regulations related to the “best practices” strategies developed by the county’s Back To Business Task Force. Republican Supervisors Steve Christy and Ally Miller voted against the regulations, which include taking the temperature of all workers and anyone making deliveries to restaurants. Christy said the regulations were too burdensome for a sector that has already been hammered by the outbreak's fallout.
• Pima County Public Libraries will reopen on Monday, May 18, with limited services, including book pickup, computer use on a first-come, first-served basis, and printing, copying and fax services. The new open hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will still be precautions for coronavirus, including taking guests' temperatures before they enter the building, wearing face masks and maintaining six feet of physical distance. The library will also allow only a limited number of people in at a time, and guests will most likely have to wait in line to get in.
• Today, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base’s 355th Wing, alongside the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, are taking off from Tucson International Airport at 2 p.m. in a flyover across the metro area in a salute to healthcare workers. A formation of two A-10 Thunderbolts IIs and two F-16 Fighting Falcons will begin the flyover at 2 p.m. The 40-minute flight will pass by healthcare facilities in Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Oro Valley, and Marana.
• The Arizona Supreme Court has denied an effort by initiative campaigns to collect online signatures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is disappointing in Arizona to see the courts and the attorney general and legislature repeatedly prevent the options of choice to voters where their options are to forgo their constitutional rights or to risk their health and safety," said Roopali Desai, the lawyer representing the initiative campaigns. "It's really unfortunate the court did not grant the relief under such extreme circumstances. It's not only disappointing but it's incredibly dishearting."
Initiative campaigns such as Smart and Safe Arizona, Save our Schools Arizona, Invest In Education and Arizonans for Second Chances filed a Petition for Special Attention with the Arizona Supreme Court on April 2. The groups wanted to utilize the state's E-Qual electronic signature system in an attempt to help initiatives continue collecting signatures during the pandemic. But lawyers for the state argued that the Arizona Constitution requires that petition passers personally witness every voter's signature.
• COVID-19 symptoms typically occur two to 14 days after exposure, and include headache, fever, cough, shortness of breath, blue toes or a loss of taste and smell, according to the CDC. However, some cases of the virus are entirely asymptomatic. Practices to avoid infection include social distancing (of at least six feet), washing your hands, avoiding unnecessary trips and not touching your face. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever, cough or difficulty breathing, speak with a healthcare provider for medical advice.
According to the CDC, people who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to recover at home. Stay at home and avoid public transportation, but stay in touch with your doctor. If you do leave your home, wear a facemask and clean your hands often. If you develop more severe symptoms (persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, bluish lips) get medical attention immediately. Your local health authorities will give instructions on checking your symptoms and reporting information.
Have you caught COVID-19? Are you feeling ill? Is your small business struggling to make it? Have you lost your job as a result of the outbreak? Are you struggling to manage your kids while schools are closed? Tell us your COVID-19 stories. Send an email or photo to [email protected].
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Halfway through, and two days before the stay-at-home order expires. We got this. Until then, here are all the other things we've covered today.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 12,176 of Wednesday, May 13, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
On Monday, May 18, Pima County Public Libraries will reopen with limited services, including book pickup, computer use on a first-come, first-served basis, and printing, copying and fax services.
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base’s 355th Wing, alongside the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, are taking off from Tucson International Airport May 14 for a salutatory flyover across the Greater Tucson Metro, the airbase announced.
While many are saying it’s too early to open up society again due to increasing COVID-19 cases across the country, counties in Arizona are known as “weak arms” of the state government and must comply with their mandates.
In a 3-2 vote, the Pima County Board of Supervisors approved to immediately update the county's health code to include 15 of the 17 new guidelines recommended by the Pima County Health Department during today's emergency meeting.
The Arizona Supreme Court has denied an effort by initiative campaigns to collect online signatures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 12,176 of Wednesday, May 13, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
On Monday, May 18, Pima County Public Libraries will reopen with limited services, including book pickup, computer use on a first-come, first-served basis, and printing, copying and fax services.
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base’s 355th Wing, alongside the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, are taking off from Tucson International Airport May 14 for a salutatory flyover across the Greater Tucson Metro, the airbase announced.
While many are saying it’s too early to open up society again due to increasing COVID-19 cases across the country, counties in Arizona are known as “weak arms” of the state government and must comply with their mandates.
In a 3-2 vote, the Pima County Board of Supervisors approved to immediately update the county's health code to include 15 of the 17 new guidelines recommended by the Pima County Health Department during today's emergency meeting.
The Arizona Supreme Court has denied an effort by initiative campaigns to collect online signatures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Arizona Supreme Court has denied an effort by initiative campaigns to collect online signatures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It is disappointing in Arizona to see the courts and the attorney general and legislature repeatedly prevent the options of choice to voters where their options are to forgo their constitutional rights or to risk their health and safety," said Roopali Desai, the lawyer representing the initiative campaigns. "It's really unfortunate the court did not grant the relief under such extreme circumstances. It's not only disappointing but it's incredibly dishearting."
Initiative campaigns such as Smart and Safe Arizona, Save our Schools Arizona, Invest In Education and Arizonans for Second Chances filed a Petition for Special Attention with the Arizona Supreme Court on April 2. The groups wanted to utilize the state's E-Qual electronic signature system in an attempt to help initiatives continue collecting signatures during the pandemic.
"It is disappointing in Arizona to see the courts and the attorney general and legislature repeatedly prevent the options of choice to voters where their options are to forgo their constitutional rights or to risk their health and safety," said Roopali Desai, the lawyer representing the initiative campaigns. "It's really unfortunate the court did not grant the relief under such extreme circumstances. It's not only disappointing but it's incredibly dishearting."
Initiative campaigns such as Smart and Safe Arizona, Save our Schools Arizona, Invest In Education and Arizonans for Second Chances filed a Petition for Special Attention with the Arizona Supreme Court on April 2. The groups wanted to utilize the state's E-Qual electronic signature system in an attempt to help initiatives continue collecting signatures during the pandemic.
Courtesy Pima County
Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry: “We’re a public agency, and as a public agency we’ve got to provide public services."
Yesterday, Governor Doug Ducey announced the statewide stay-at-home order will be lifted this Friday, May 15, leaving counties across the state with just a few days to draw up plans to safely bring their employees back to work.
While many are saying it’s too early to open up society again due to increasing COVID-19 cases across the country, counties in Arizona are known as “weak arms” of the state government and must comply with their mandates.
In a recent memo, Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry ordered all telecommuting county staff to return to work once the stay-at-home order is lifted. The county government is one of Tucson’s largest employers with a workforce exceeding 7,000 people.
About 4,000 of those employees are still working during the pandemic, with a little more than 1,000 telecommuting to prevent the spread of the virus. Many others are deemed essential workers and cannot perform their duties remotely.
In his May 4 memo, Huckelberry took a “no exceptions” tone when talking about employees returning to work. He said telecommuting would only be allowed if an employee has a “compromising medical condition” as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that is verified through written documentation of a Medical Provider’s Attestation.
The same requirement applies to employees who live with someone that has such a condition, but they will not be allowed to telecommute and instead will have to use their paid time off to remain away from work and protect their loved ones from exposure.
If any staff declines to come back to the workplace, Huckelberry said they will receive no pay and their absence will be deemed “unauthorized.”
Huckelberry's push to get employees back into county buildings contradicts advice given by the county’s own health department.
Tags: Pima County , Board of Supervisors , Chuck Huckelberry , Telecommute , Stay at Home , Governor Doug Ducey , Back to Work , Image
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base’s 355th Wing, alongside the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, are taking off from Tucson International Airport May 14 for a salutatory flyover across the Greater Tucson Metro, the airbase announced. The event will honor local first responders and medical professionals on the front lines of handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
A formation of two A-10 Thunderbolts IIs and two F-16 Fighting Falcons will begin the flyover at 2 p.m. The flight will last approximately 40 minutes.
“Morris Air National Guard Base and Davis–Monthan Air Force Base recognize the healthcare personnel and first responders who are serving beyond measure during this trying time of the COVID pandemic,” said Col. Jeffrey Bulter, 162nd Wing commander, in a press release. “We are extremely grateful for your service to the people of Tucson and the great state of Arizona.”
The flight will overfly a variety of healthcare facilities in Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Oro Valley, and Marana.
“We are honored to salute all the healthcare workers, first responders and civic leaders who are working tirelessly to flatten the curve in our community,” said Col. Michael Drowley, 355th Wing commander, in a statement. “They are true heroes. We want everyone who sees us in the sky Thursday to know that our Airmen are flying with them in mind.”
The airbase asks that residents practice social distancing procedures and enjoy the flyover from the safety of their homes.
A formation of two A-10 Thunderbolts IIs and two F-16 Fighting Falcons will begin the flyover at 2 p.m. The flight will last approximately 40 minutes.
“Morris Air National Guard Base and Davis–Monthan Air Force Base recognize the healthcare personnel and first responders who are serving beyond measure during this trying time of the COVID pandemic,” said Col. Jeffrey Bulter, 162nd Wing commander, in a press release. “We are extremely grateful for your service to the people of Tucson and the great state of Arizona.”
The flight will overfly a variety of healthcare facilities in Tucson, Sahuarita, Green Valley, Oro Valley, and Marana.
“We are honored to salute all the healthcare workers, first responders and civic leaders who are working tirelessly to flatten the curve in our community,” said Col. Michael Drowley, 355th Wing commander, in a statement. “They are true heroes. We want everyone who sees us in the sky Thursday to know that our Airmen are flying with them in mind.”
The airbase asks that residents practice social distancing procedures and enjoy the flyover from the safety of their homes.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 12,176 of Wednesday, May 13, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services—a jump of 440 new cases from yesterday's report.
Pima County had 1,661 confirmed cases.
The coronavirus had killed 594 people statewide, including 144 in Pima County, according to the report.
In Maricopa County, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had risen to 6,341.
Because symptoms can take as long as two weeks to appear after exposure to the virus (while some people can remain entirely asymptomatic), health officials continue to urge the public to avoid unnecessary trips and gatherings of more than 10 people and have advised people to cover their faces with masks in public.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced yesterday that he would not extend Arizona’s stay-at-home order past Friday, May 15. He also said that gyms and pools could reopen today.
Ducey had already given the green light for restaurants and bars that offer food service to reopen this week. Restrictions were lifted on stores, barber shops and salons last week.
Ducey said he hoped that schools would be able to reopen in the fall but was yet not ready to make that call.
Dr. Bob England, the director of the Pima County Health Department, said the reopening of bars this week "wasn't people's general understanding" given that Ducey had said in an April press conference that bars would remain shuttered longer than restaurants because people tend to mingle in bars. England said expected to see "a lot of variation out there."
"It's going to be a little bit like the Wild West," England warned. "Just know that if you're vulnerable, if you're older, if you have underlying health conditions that put you at higher risk, then please, please, please hunker down for a while longer."
England said last week that the results of reopening so many establishments wouldn’t be known for weeks as test results tend to lag behind the actual spread of the virus.
“It will take a few weeks to know the impact of this so we won’t know until early June what all of this is doing to the epidemic curve,” England said in a daily briefing.
Other members of the medical community said Ducey’s move may have come soon and will result in greater spread of the virus. State Rep. Randy Friese, an emergency room doctor, warned last week that by relaxing so many standards so quickly, Ducey was risking losing all the progress that state has made in stemming the disease.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the Trump administration, told the U.S. Senate in testimony yesterday that states and cities should follow the guidelines set out by the CDC when allowing businesses to reopen.
“It’s my concern that if some areas—cities, states, what have you—jump over those various checkpoints and prematurely open up without having the capability to respond effectively and efficiently, my concern is that we will start to see little spikes that might turn into outbreaks,” Fauci said. “The consequences could be really serious.”
The Pima County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to meet this morning to discuss potential emergency regulations related to the “best practices” strategies developed by the county’s Back To Business Task Force, although their authority is limited by Ducey’s emergency declaration limiting the powers of local communities beyond what the state has mandated in response to COVID-19. Supervisors will also discuss Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry’s announcement that most county workers must return to work next week, even if they are able to telecommute.
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
While we're not totally in the clear yet, our most breaking news includes Governor Ducey letting the original stay-at-home order expire on May 15. You can get more news about that here. For everything else we covered today, see below.
- The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Arizona reached 11,736 on Tuesday, May 12, according to the morning report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
- Five different causes in Southern Arizona received a shot of financial aid this week from Angel Charity, the organization announced Monday.
- As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 70 to 90 percent of refugees have either lost their jobs or had their work hours reduced, according to We Are All America, a national organization working to support immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
- The Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona will move its summer camp experience to the internet this year, the organization announced Tuesday. “Camp Log On” will take place over six weeks, beginning June 1 through July 10.
- Roche Tissue Diagnostics decided on a different theme for this year’s summer art exhibition.
- Established by the state government in March, the Arizona Coronavirus Relief Fund pools resources to help fund community organizations throughout the state working to deliver much-needed aid to people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Just in case you need to sate your craving for live music, the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance is partnering with the Town of Oro Valley to host live concerts every Thursday through June 4.
Gov. Doug Ducey announced Tuesday that Arizona’s stay-at-home order will expire on May 15.
Ducey said that gyms and pools could reopen tomorrow and major-league sports could resume play without fans in the seats after May 15.
"This does not mean a return to normal," Ducey said. "This is the next step on the way out of this pandemic."
He said vulnerable Arizonans should continue to remain home and urged people to continue social distancing.
Ducey noted that as COVID-19 testing has increased in Arizona, the percentage of positive cases have been dropping, allowing the state to meet CDC criteria for lifting restrictions. Likewise, Arizona has enough hospital capacity to handle a spike of COVID-19 cases.
"Arizona is prepared if things were to take a turn for the worse," Ducey said. "This is a green light on the way out of his pandemic. This is not a green light to speed. It is a green light to proceed cautiously."
Ducey said he hoped schools could reopen in the fall but he wasn't ready to make a call on that decision yet.
Dr. Cara Christ, the director of the Arizona Department of Health, said her staff was moving forward with plans to expand testing in congregate settings. She said the state planned to test all residents and staff at longterm care facilities and was working with the Arizona prison system to test both correctional staff and inmates.
Christ said the state was also working to develop better contact tracing to reach out to people who may have been in contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Ducey has issued a number of emergency declarations since COVID-19 began its spread in Arizona, including a closure of Arizona schools. On March 20, he ordered bars closed and limited restaurants to take out and delivery. Later in March, he issued his stay-at-home order and ordered many so-called “non-essential” businesses to temporarily close their doors.
In late April, Ducey said he was extending the emergency declaration through May 15, but modified it to allow businesses to begin reopening. Last week, retail shops were allowed to resume business and this week, restaurants and bars were given the green light to resume in-house dining and drinking. Businesses that involve people in close contact with each other, such as movie theaters and gyms, remained closed.
Ducey has been criticized by some Arizona conservatives for the stay-at-home order, but public health experts and Democratic lawmakers have griped that he is moving too quickly to reopen. A late April poll by Public Opinion Strategies showed that most Arizonans approved of the effort to slow the outbreak. Roughly six in 10 voters thought his approach had been “just about right,” while 29 percent said he had “not gone far enough” and just 8 percent said he had “gone too far,” according to the poll of 600 registered voters.
Hundreds of thousands of Arizonans have lost their jobs since the outbreak began, with more than a half-million people applying for unemployment benefits in the last two months. Even many businesses that have been able to keep their doors open have experienced sharp drops in revenue. State budget forecasters have said the state could be facing a billion-dollar budget shortfall but advised that with so little data to work from, they could be off by $500 million in either direction.
Today’s announcement came as the state’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 closed in on 12,000, with 562 people dead after contracting the virus. A total of 80 people have died from COVID-19 in Pima County, which was home to 1,623 of the state's 11,736 confirmed cases, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
